Posted on 02/02/2005 1:00:59 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A federal appeals court on Wednesday said Stanley "Tookie" Williams, a founder of the notorious Crips street gang who was nominated for a Noble Peace Prize while in prison, can be executed for killing four people in 1981.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to grant Williams another hearing based on his argument that prosecutors violated his rights when they dismissed all potential black jurors from hearing the case. Agreement from a majority of the 24 active judges is required to grant a rehearing.
Judge Johnnie Rawlinson was joined by eight other judges in a written opinion favoring a rehearing. She said Williams, who is black, deserves a new trial because his attorney did not object to the unlawful removal of black panelists during jury selection.
"If our judicial system is to inspire a sense of confidence among the populace, we must not, we cannot permit trials to proceed in the face of blatant, race-based jury-selection practices," said Rawlinson, a Clinton appointee who is black.
"The very legitimacy of our system of justice depends upon continued vigilance against such practices."
Williams will appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, said his attorney, Andrea Asaro of San Francisco.
"If you have a biased jury considering your guilt or innocence, that's unconstitutional," Asaro said. "This raises constitutional implications for the fairness of the trial."
She noted a 1986 Supreme Court ruling prohibiting race from being a reason for excusing jurors.
The majority of judges who declined a rehearing did so without comment.
Wednesday's ruling was the latest setback for the former Los Angeles gang leader.
Two years ago, a three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based court approved his execution but did not fully consider the jury selection process or whether William's counsel was ineffective. Asaro then asked the court to rehear the case, leading to Wednesday's decision.
If the ruling survives scrutiny by the Supreme Court, it could pave the way for as many as three executions in California this year. That would be the most since the death penalty was reinstated in 1978.
Last month, a Redwood City man was executed for killing two women in 1981. A week later, the 9th Circuit cleared for execution the leader of a Fresno crime ring who ordered murders from his cell at Folsom State Prison.
Williams and a high school buddy, Raymond Washington, started the Crips street gang in Los Angeles in 1971.
Williams was sentenced to death in 1981 for fatally shooting Albert Owens, a Whittier convenience store worker. He also was convicted of using a shotgun a few days later to kill two Los Angeles motel owners and their daughter during a robbery.
He claims he is innocent, arguing that jailhouse informants fabricated testimony that he confessed to the murders.
While in San Quentin State Prison, Williams was nominated in 2001 for a Nobel Peace Prize for his series of children's books and international peace efforts intended to curtail youth gang violence.
The case is Williams v. Woodford, 99-99018.
While in San Quentin State Prison, Williams was nominated in 2001 for a Nobel Peace Prize for his series of children's books and international peace efforts intended to curtail youth gang violence.
Further proof that Nobel Peace Prizes are totally worthless.
9th circuit got one right, but not by much.
I agree, its worthless.
Williams was nominated in 2001 for a Nobel Peace Prize
This just means the that Euroweenies will come out in force when we schedule the date to put this cur down.
OK, it appears the "no blacks on jury proves he's not guilty" appeal didn't work. That leaves the latent homosexual, retarded, troubled youth, the debil made me do it, behavioral disease, "this is California" defenses to go. The've struck the "I got religion and have been born again as a Christian" defense because federal judges in California react very negatively to anything Christiam. Of course, now that sentencing guidlines are no longer mandatory, this killer can claim inequity because there was a white killer in 1956 who killed as many people and he only got life.
From the ig-noble prize to the chair in four or five years! It sure is a short walk from the penthouse to the outhouse, eh, Tookie?
Michelle's take on "Tookie"
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/michelle/malkin112200.asp
Lucky him, he got nominated for both the Noble and Nobel peace prizes!
I guess he didn't murder enough people to rise to the Yasser Peace Prize standard.
He fell a few thousand short of Arafat, easily.
Scumbags, both of them.
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