[RedStateRocker]

It's getting a *LOT* of press in Kalifornia. Remember that Ah-nold is deeply wounded after losing all of his ballot propositions earlier this month; the Republican party and the right in California is a tiny, tiny minority ( even with a Good Man like Tom McClintock - gosh, we could of had HIM as governor). And EVERY article points out that all of the evidence against 'Tookie' is either circumstantial OR from accomplices stooling on him, which, to be honest, even makes an ardent death penalty supporter like myself a little uncomfortable.
The pragmatic question is, IMHO, is society as a whole better off in extracting vengeance and/or making an example - or in having him (if truly repentant) trying to make amends? What is the greatest good for the greatest number- the example of offing the dirtbag or having a repentant dirtbag trying to convince kids ot not do what he has done. Noit that I would lose any sleep if every Crip and Blood disappeared into the Night and Fog.

[neodad]

the Republican party and the right in California is a tiny, tiny minority

Huh? Minority, yes. But tiny, tiny?

[BruceysMom]

I don't agree that the death sentence is about vengeance, or making him an example, it's about protecting the rest of society from him. They, his supporters, say they don't want him turned loose, yet if they commute his sentence how long til the let demands his freedom?

[Smogger]

Noit that I would lose any sleep if every Crip and Blood disappeared into the Night and Fog.

Kant's rational for the death penalty is the most convincing I think: If you murder someone there is really no punishment that the state can extract that is equal to the crime that you have committed aside from death. The arguments about deterrent, or vengance, etc I find extremely weak.

I oppose the death penalty on purely religious grounds, but I won't lose much sleep if Tookie is executed.

[AmishDude]

And EVERY article points out that all of the evidence against 'Tookie' is either circumstantial

Circumstantial is the best kind. Eyewitnesses can be very flawed. Besides, Tookie tended to eliminate the eyewitnesses.

OR from accomplices stooling on him,

They would know, wouldn't they? And more than one. What's the matter with you, newbie?

[Yaelle]

The only way to show you are truly repentant is to admit your crimes. Tookie committed those cruel, heinous murders and laughed about them. He has to this day never admitted it. His side says that he didn't get a fair trial. Mostly, they say that there were no blacks on the jury, which is not true. There was one black man on that jury. Most of his brain-dead supporters do not even know that.

Tookie must die. He is a murderer of 4, no doubt of many more for which he did NOT get caught. He is supposedly still very involved with the Crips, highly respected by them, from on Death Row, even. He won't go against the Crips because "it would be going against his own heart" or some such quote.