Justices decline to block Williams execution

[CatWoman]

12-11) 20:26 PST San Francisco (AP) --

Crips co-founder Stanley Tookie Williams lost another bid before the California Supreme Court when the justices unanimously ruled late Sunday not to reopen his case and block his Tuesday execution by lethal injection.

The high court ruled 6-0, and said the last-minute appeal lacked merit and was untimely as well, meaning Williams will be executed unless Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger grants clemency or an anticipated last-ditch federal appeal is successful. California's justice days ago also turned down a similar appeal from Williams, who is scheduled to be the 12th condemned inmate executed since state lawmakers reinstated the death penalty in 1977 after a brief hiatus.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/12/11/state/n202649S89.DTL

[Patchuli]

1. Can the Gov stop it? nt

[daleo]

I think the governor always has the option of clemency

Maybe I have seen too many movies, though.

[Maat]

2. Dang it! I had a horrible feeling that it would be.

I don't think Ahhhnold will act to spare Williams' life.

Seems Ahhhhnold is a Bushbot who takes orders from Rove and his ilk.

Just couldn't do WHAT WAS RIGHT.

How awful! What a tragedy all the way around!

I, for one, will work to get rid of that death penalty in California - quite diligently!

[reformedrepub]

7. whats right?

Tookie Williams was a menace to society. If there is anyone close to an "American Terrorist" its Tookie Williams. Not only is he responsible for the murders he committed, but he has the blood of hundreds on his hands. The hundreds murdered by the gang he created, which helped to destroy thousands of young mostly African-American lives..Lets not use of dislike of the death penalty, to give sympathy to a person who doesnt deserve it.

[Maat]

8. I don't believe I was expressing that I wanted Williams as a best friend.

But I believe that when the state kills, then those state officials are lowering themselves to the level of a sociopath, just like the kind they believe they are killing.

Not in my name.

The death penalty is inexcusable and unconscionable in the 21st century.

And I'm well aware of the lives destroyed by gangs; I worked for Child Protective Services in San Bernardino for seven years.

But one's man's reprehensible behavior cannot furnish the basis for other reprehensible behavior.

[ugarte]

10. He's no menace to society in prison

He's been there 24 years and isn't going anywhere. What is gained by killing him? An empty bed?

[nolabels]

14. In many ways prisons are a menace to society

Hard to imagine a more un-inventive institution, this thing they call prison. This thing, this thing called prison, is so frozen in concept that the basic premise hasn't changed in a few millennial spans even though pretty much everything else in what is known as civilization has.

How could you ever learn and grow from the experiences of your failures if you were to box them up with the intent to ignore and forget about them. Only a fool would think that is a winning strategy

[justasoldier]

15. Alternatives???

Prisons aren't doing jack as far as correcting anything. What do you think would be a possible alternative?


justasoldier

[nolabels]

17. Understanding people who commit crimes are often even the......

greater victims of the act. Hard to lump everything together but in essence that someone is purposively doing things others would find wrong says that role that this purposeful wrong doing person is unacceptable to them. The scofflaw has determined that agreement with others is not possible in the present situations that they find themselves in. Not a static thing to be sure, just a bending of the rules to make their life fit in reality they find themselves in.

[gordonlamb]

20. wait a minute...

So the real victim is Tookie Williams and not the folks he murdered? That's a stretch.

[nolabels]

22. He was the first victim but not the only

His life or who ever it was mostly was a non-functioning one at the time of the murders. To be willing to kill you must be divorced from the reality of your own humanity. The few bucks for whatever ever fix that is needed is just an excuse. The repressed need for lashing out to the point of murder is even instinctive in most people. It's only reward / consequence rational part of our brain that keeps us from doing it, our humanity and our fear are greater motivators at some level for most.

War, mayhem and murders go on with ebb and flows of time but to the fact it does go on says more about what we are than what we could ever invent. To rationalize that this killing thing that has been done since time was recorded but could just be stamped out by doing more killing is ludicrous in any debate of merit.

[Lilyhoney]

11. .

[gordonlamb]

19. Arnold is pretty far away from a Bushie...

He's about as liberal as Republicans come. Don't you think making fun of his name and pronouncination ("Ahhhhnold") is just a little bit nationalist? I mean, it's making fun of someone for an Austrian accent.

[MissB]

23. Welcome to DU!

Enjoy your stay.

[napi21]

3. Are you surprised?

I would have been shocked if Aarnauld would have comuted his death sentence. I'm a bit surprised that he announced it tonight though. I would have expected him to drag it out to Tuesday afternoon!

[Guaranteed]

4. He didn't. This is California's Supreme Court. nt

[tularetom]

6. Ahnuld hasn't yet announced his decision on clemency

What was announced tonight was a denialof a stay of execution for Williams. Ahnuld will annnounce his decison Monday but I suspect he will not grant clemency as he has been taking a lot of shit from the RW lately for hiring a Dem as chief of staff and since he lacks any real conviction, he will see this decision only in political terms as a way to regain the affection of the vengeful right.

[Maat]

9. Unfortunately, I agree with you.

Your assessment of Ahhhnold is quite correct.

[fortyfeetunder]

13. A political decision to the core...

I heard an answer similar to yours last night on the Erin Hart show (KIRO710, Seattle). I think it will be politically motivated to please the RW. Because that is where his ba$e is...

[Fenris]

5. He's reached the end of his legal rope, unfortunately.

[TaleWgnDg]

12. Most probably Schwarzenegger will not announce a . . .

clemency decision until all appeals have been decided, both state and federal which is a wise and prudent option for any governor. Courts must deal with unemotional law, whereas a governor may make a decision w/ a cool objective rationale (whether political or otherwise) or from the heart. Which way will Schwarzenegger decide? I'd guess the former not the latter.

[Selteri]

16. I hate to say it, but if Arnie handles this wrong it could lead to

some very serious rioting.

[sleipnir]

18. As it should!

I do NOT want to call for violence, but to execute an inmate who has devoted his life to peace and reconciliation is beyond the pale. The response from individuals in California to a murder committed in their names can not be easily dismissed. Violence, no, but perhaps major demonstrations and CD on a massive scale, YES!

[gordonlamb]

21. But rioting involves violence...

There's no way to call for rioting unless one is willing to accept violence. Mr. WIllimas hardly devoted his life to peace. His "Childrens Books" weren't even purchased by anyone. He had absolutely no impact whatsoever on changing the gang culture he helped create. Ceratinly there have always been gangs of criminals and no one is saying that Mr. Williams invented the idea. But composing a few poorly written childrens books and being nominated for a Nobel prize doesn't change anything. I'm not 100% pro-death penalty. But if anyone deserves it, folks like Tookie do.

[slackmaster]

24. Who do you think would riot?

Gang members?

:shrug: