Posted on 12/12/2005 9:54:28 PM PST by Daralundy
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger did not just reject Stanley Tookie Williams' request for clemency, he aggressively attacked the central element of the former gang leader's case: Williams, he said, had never really reformed.
Over the last decade, Williams had become famous based on his account of how he went from a gang leader to an anti-gang crusader who had written books aimed at steering young people away from crime. That life story was at the heart of Williams' request for clemency.
Schwarzenegger rejected it entirely, suggesting Williams' redemption claim was "hollow."
The governor laid out his case in a five-page statement that was unusual for the length, detail and blunt tone in which it dismissed Williams' claims. Aides said the statement was largely drafted by Andrea Hoch, Schwarzenegger's legal affairs secretary, and her predecessor, Peter Siggins. Schwarzenegger announced last week that he was appointing Siggins to a state appellate court.
Aides to the governor, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the governor's deliberations, said Schwarzenegger was reviewing drafts of the statement as late as Monday morning. It was officially released shortly after noon. He reviewed as many as half a dozen drafts, asking detailed questions, the aides said.
In the days leading up to the deadline, Schwarzenegger had said that he was approaching the decision with "dread" and that deciding another man's fate was a governor's most difficult task.
But "there is nothing in the tone of the governor's decision that suggests it was a close call or agonized over," said USC law professor Jody Armour.
Instead, Schwarzenegger said there was no question that Williams had murdered four people in 1979. Williams' repeated refusal to admit that became, to the governor, a powerful factor against clemency.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Actual excerpt from the Karla Tucker story at Crimelibrary.com.
Arnold did the right thing today. Bravo for him!
not one word of sympathy for the victims, not one from all of these compassionate leftists; tookie's influence couldn't have been that great, he has one son who is a convicted murderer and another with a warrant for arrest for indecent liberties,sodomy and assault on a 13 yr old girl,those books really were GREAT (300+) sold nationally !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He'll see Jesus... won't he be surprised.
I don't think anyone needs a crime scene photo to know that Tookie has to go...if it were up to me, your posting privileges would be suspended right now. Be happy I'm not a Mod.
I am sorry you feel that way. I've explained how I felt, you explained how you felt. If your answer is to suspend priveleges over it...then I am certainly glad you are not a mod. But if you were...and you did, so be it. It would not intimidate or make a difference to me or how I personally feel about this issue.
Like I said, I posted the second before the first was pulled. Since the first was pulled and the mods here made it clear how FR felt, I have not posted it again. I respect FR and its position to do with the site as it will, even when I do not completely agree with it.
I've had no reason to ever have any kind of squabble or issue with you Kieth. I have always pretty much respected your posts. This last wasn't one of them...and you know what, I wouldn't suspend you because of it, or ask that it be removed. I would just recognize the difference and move on, which is what I will do now.
You'd think those Hollyweird lefties and race-baiters would find something else to champion than a piece of human debris like this. Or is this the only way these morooons can get publicity?
Dennis Prager nailed a leftie-nun on Larry King when he asked her if Eichman's execution would have been approved by her. She hemmed and hawed, changed the subject, and babbled on incoherantly. She's probably one of those nuns-for-murder-in-abortion clinics too. Amazing how they come out to play when such despicable trash is about to get his reward. I hope he turns coward and has to be dragged to his death.
Now, I think I'll stay up one more hour to see if Tookie gets "Cookied." TTF, Tookie. (Ta ta forever)
I need to get up in the morning; Tookie doesn't.
>>What, is that comment supposed to really impact or impress me Kieth?<<
No.
The picture you posted and had pulled twice is borderline obscene in my opinion. I don't need to see that in order to know Tookie is going to get what he has coming. And I'd venture a guess that mine would be the majority here would share my opinion regarding that picture. If it makes you feel better, wallpaper your room with it - but you don't have to force it upon the rest of us.
A lot of the frothy faithless around here were ready to burn the good governor at the stake over this and made rather poor assumptions as to what his decision would be concerning clemency.
I wonder how many apologies will be made for stick their keyboards in their mouth....
Anyhow, I was not looking for a majority vote, either when I posted it or considered it. I did so for the reasons I have already given.
...and, when the first one I posted on a related thread was removed by the mods, I didn't post it again.
But now I'm covering the same ground and the dialog is getting circular. We disagree on the photo, but I know we agree on the fact that this animal is getting what he has coming to him.
Regards.
It could be said that this is actually a very Christian statement from the Governor of California. Without confession, there cannot be redemption.
25 years for a death sentence?
Clearly our judicial system is broken.
Slow and bankruptingly expensive.
26, but who's counting ? :-|
From my perspective, I was in Kindergarten when the crimes occurred. Simply incredible.
He was Terminated...
"Is he dead yet?"
He is dear, he is.
And yet, life goes on. Good for the Gov for releasing this, as the LA Times rightly puts it, "bluntly worded" statement. By chance I heard Tookie on NPR with Tavis Smiley, I think it was. He was beyond unrepentant he came across as quite haughty, actually. He was well spoken, that I'll give him, I liked how he said that he and Smiley had met "vis-a-vis", a turn of phrase I haven't heard in a while.
As for his claims of being "framed", well that really is what he claimed. Not one or two things were done wrong at his trial, every single claim you've ever heard a person make, he made. The lab screwed up, the prosecution screwed up, they were out to get him, the jury was all white, his own lawyer was no good, the witnesses were all criminals singing a stoolie's song, etc, etc. It really made his claim sound not believable.
Thanks for posting the Governor's full statement.
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