Posted on 12/03/2005 5:52:39 PM PST by bikepacker67
You said: Now, let's say my argument carries the day and people rise up and convince their elected officials to do away with the death penalty. How does this lead us to convicted murderers being set free?
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Our discussion is not the beginning of this issue. The Constitution very clearly recognizes the potential imposition of the death penalty. Liberal voices (don't let me paint YOU with that brush, but on this issue you are aligned with them)have been chipping at the death penalty for a very long time. For a time, the death penalty was ruled unconstitutional, although this travesty was rectified in 1976. My belief is that whatever is the most severe punishment meted out under our law, the liberal/pro-criminal defense side will argue that it is cruel and unusual punishment. Surely you don't expect them to retire from the fight if the death penalty were eliminated again. There is no longer forced labor in prisons, corporal punishment has been eliminated and many say that prisoners are often given too easy a ride in prison-- cable TV, etc. I am not sure I would go that far, but the nature of the debate is such that we can expect a strong argument that to incarcerate someone for life, without parole, is tantamount to death. Life in prison doesn't mean life in prison, unless "without possibility of parole" is added. Juries are not told this, and in fact, cannot be told this in trials.
Ours is not a perfect system, but it is a darn good one, death penalty included. It is easily avoided.... just don't commit premeditated murder.
Bingo! I'd like to see all of these clemency advocates volunteer their time at a maximum security prison. Let them watch over Tookie and his buddies 24/7, and they might change their tune.
I don't buy her argument that the State run by people has to be infallible. We as a society take risks all the time. We know 50,000 people a year will die driving their cars. We implicitly assume the convenience of driving cars is worth at least 50,000 lives. Carrying out the death penalty to murders convicted by a jury of their peers is safeguard enough. Yes, some innocent person may die and that is tragic; however, I think it will be very rare and certainly more rare than the number of innocent people who die on the freeway every year.
It is time to recall exactly what Tookie did to get sentenced to death.
In 1979 "Tookie" murdered four innocent, defenseless people with a sawed-off shotgun at point blank range. During his first murder he ordered a 7-eleven store clerk into the back room and told him to "lie face down on the floor you mother----er." He then walked over to this young man and shot him in the back at contact range with the shotgun. The rush of blood into the victims lungs and throat made a horrible gurgling sound and the man struggled to breathe. "Tookie" then fired another killing round into the man's back -- again at contact range. Later that evening he bragged about the murder and laughed while recalling the agony, gurgling sounds and the desperate gasping of the victim.
Eleven days later "Tookie" broke into a small motel at 5:30 in the morning. When confronted by the owner he shot the man point blank in the face with the same shotgun. He broke into the owners' bedroom and shot and murdered his wife at point blank range with the shotgun. When their daughter came running to their rescue he shot and brutally killed their only daughter with the same powerful shotgun. Then he calmly raided the cash register and drove away with a hundred dollars -- the only receipts for the evening.
"Tookie" was convicted of murder and sentenced to death for these wanton, brutal acts of murder. During the sentencing phase of his trial he looked over to the jury and mouthed "I will get everyone of you mother----ers."
This heroic jury did not flinch. They at great personal risk to themselves and their families meted out a "guilty" verdict even though the leader of the most notorious gang in America with thousands of gang members to do his bidding threatened to ..."get everyone of you mother----ers."
Tookie Williams has never been remorseful, he has never apologized to the families of his victims, he refuses to accept responsibility for his actions. He still claims to be an innocent man, framed and convicted by an all white jury. This is a blatant lie that Tookie Williams repeated last week on the MSNBC Rita Crosby interview. (There was a black and a latino on the jury.) The jury members still live in fear of this wanton, unrepentant monster. It is time for this man to quit threatening society.
Tookie is not a victim. The real victims are like that freckled-face young man, with a ready smile for everyone, working at that 7-eleven store when Tookie Williams walked in 26 years ago. Tookie Williams smote the life out of that young man and his mother has been gasping for closure ever since. She has been horribly injured, her pain is too great to bear, the cuts to her heart are too deep, and her wounds will never heal.
Tookie Williams How to book,
Let's see if I got this right(sarcasm). If I start up a new thieving, murdering gang banger cult, kill some innocent people, get on death row, write some childrens books, get endorsed by vacuous celebs eventually I'll get nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize?!!
I guess being an honor roll student, getting a college degree and living my life as a well mannered, civilized, compassionate citizen of America doesn't cut it any longer. Oh Lord, deliver me from evil.
Tookies murder victims didn't get a second chance to write books, get endorsed by celebs or LIFE period. How come we never ever ever see or hear of any celebs speaking on behalf of the murder victims? Why?! Because they live vicariously through the sin of the criminals they endorse. Just like the disturbed female psychophants who become pen pals to male prisoners or worse, their wives.
email Stanley at
tookie@tookie.com
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