Posted on 02/09/2005 7:48:06 AM PST by SmithL
Time is running out for Stanley "Tookie" Williams.
The death row inmate is in the midst of a last, vigorous appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to spare his life. But he took time Monday to speak publicly -- via telephone from San Quentin State Prison -- to an audience of about 100 members of the public gathered at a small auditorium in Belmont.
Williams' life accomplishments seem to touch the extremes of the good and evil that human beings can reach. On the one hand, Williams was convicted of killing four people and is responsible for starting one of the most violent street gangs in history: the Crips.
Yet, from the confines of his closet of a prison cell, Williams, 51, has campaigned heartily to keep kids away from gangs. He has spoken to roomfuls of young people over the phone and written several children's books describing the prison life that awaits them if they turn to violence. His work inspired a Swiss parliament member, as well as Notre Dame de Namur University Professor Phil Gasper, to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Williams' life even was the subject of a made-for-TV movie last year starring Oscar nominee Jamie Foxx. The title? "Redemption."
On Monday night, Williams' session at Notre Dame de Namur was moderated by Gasper, who has given Williams his fifth Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
In his 15-minute call -- all the prison permitted -- Williams discussed how he felt since his latest appeals setback as well as his accomplishments since his 1981 conviction.
"Having dealt with the California courts for over 20 years, I've become quite acclimated with disappointment," he said. "I have faith. That's what keeps me going."
Williams said he wrote his many anti-gang children's books because, "I definitely didn't want any youngster out there to follow in my footsteps. I felt I was obligated to write the books."
Prosecutors believe that whatever Williams has accomplished in the realm of violence prevention, it doesn't excuse what he did in 1979.
That year, a jury later found, Williams shot 7-Eleven clerk Albert Owens to death for $120. His associates claimed he later mimicked the sound of Owens dying to friends. During another robbery two weeks later, Williams shot and killed motel owners Yen-I-Yang and Thsai-Shai Yang, as well as their daughter, Yee Chen Lin.
A jury found him guilty of all four murders in 1981 and sentenced him to death. Williams continues to maintain his innocence.
"A lot has been made about the fact that he's the founder of the Crips gang," said Nathan Barankin, a spokesman for the California Attorney General's Office. "But he was not convicted of founding the Crips gang. ... The reason why Mr. Williams is on death row is because he murdered four innocent people after stealing money from them."
Through the years, Williams has challenged his conviction on a variety of grounds. He has claimed to have brain damage, and his most recent appeal argued that the makeup of the jury that convicted him was skewed because it did not contain any African-Americans.
Last week, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to reconsider its earlier ruling that Williams' death sentence was legally sound. However, in 2002, the court's judges made the unusual statement that they believed Williams was "a worthy candidate for clemency" because of his work against gang violence.
Williams has until mid-April to file his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, and if that fails, Schwarzenegger is his only hope. Schwarzenegger denied clemency to the last death row inmate facing lethal injection, double-murderer Donald Beardslee, who was executed Jan. 19.
On Monday, Williams said his work has made a difference and he received "numerous letters" every day from reformed gang members and youths seeking his help. He also talked about the concept of redemption.
"Even the most wretched can change," he said. "I can tell you what redemption means for me. It's a process of mea culpa, being able to acknowledge one's faults and vowing not to repeat them and reaching out to others.
"I do what I can," he said. "I try my best."
:) glad I was able to refresh your memory. It was a good movie for sure.
Oh do. It's great and great at the end. You will like it and will see how it relates to this story.
Oh yes...it was right on! Ya just can't beat the storylines and depth of the old movies. All they can do today is take off their clothes and hop in and out of bed. I don't think that takes any talent. The old movies had real substance and no filth mouth or nudity. Movies can be made like that and be good but...as long as there are women who will take their clothes off at the drop of a hat for $$$$$$$$$ then I guess there will be shallow films.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.