[b]Stanley Tookie Williams executed[/b]

Crips gang co-founder put to death for 4 murders

"... A crowd of demonstrators began gathering outside the gates of the prison
early Monday evening, with celebrities, activists and anti-death-penalty
advocates pleading for Williams' life to be spared.

"I am saddened that we are continuing to demean human life by pretending that we
are God and making determinations to kill other individuals for what it is claimed
they have done," former "M*A*S*H" star and death penalty opponent Mike Farrell
told CNN.
...

The announcement of Williams' death was punctuated in the witness gallery by three
of his invited supporters, who shouted in unison, "The state of Californian just
killed an innocent man," as they exited.

Minutes earlier in the gallery, reporters said at least one of the three had given
Williams a raised fist salute.
...

The high court's ruling followed California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's decision
to deny clemency for Williams.

"Based on the cumulative weight of the evidence, there is no reason to second-guess
the jury's decision of guilt or raise significant doubts or serious reservations
about Williams' convictions and death sentence," Schwarzenegger said
in a five-page statement explaining his decision.

Before Williams went to the execution chamber, the stepmother of one of
the men Williams was convicted of killing said she felt "justice is going to
be done tonight."

"I had faith that when Governor Arnold looked at the facts of the case that he was
going to decide not to do clemency," said Lora Owens, whose stepson, Albert
Owens, was shot to death in a convenience store holdup. "I don't like it being said it's
a political decision. It was an evidence decision."
...

And Sister Helen Prejean, a Roman Catholic nun and a prominent death penalty
opponent, compared the death penalty to "gang justice."

"Gang justice is, if you kill a member of our gang, we kill you -- and don't tell me
anything about how you changed your life or what you're going to do," she said. "You
kill, and we kill you. And that's what the United States of America is doing with this."

But Schwarzenegger questioned the sincerity of Williams' conversion to nonviolence.

"Is Williams' redemption complete and sincere, or is it just a hollow promise?"
Schwarzenegger wrote. "Without an apology and atonement for these senseless and
brutal killings there can be no redemption."

He added: "In this case, the one thing that would be the clearest indication
of complete remorse and full redemption is the one thing Williams will not do."
...

Robert Martin, one of the prosecutors who sent Williams to prison, said the courts
"have scrutinized this from every angle and they've found that the evidence is rock
solid." He questioned whether there was any moral equivalence "between
co-authoring some children's books and the senseless murder of four people in cold
blood."

"The books will live on," Martin told CNN. "We have many authors who have died, and
their books are still in print. And if they have any good effect, that can continue. So I
don't believe that that is a conclusive argument."
..."