I'm holding a cyber-moment of silence on my blog for the loss of Stanley "Tookie" Williams. The convicted and reformed gang leader will be executed in just a couple hours. All legal appeals have been exhausted.
This is one case that just highlights why I oppose the death penalty. Even if you discount the obscenely high percentage of false convictions, there is always the possibilty of reform.
Wasn't it Jesus who said, "for the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost," (Luke 19:10) and many other similar things. Such as forgiving seventy-times seven?
In this season of celebrating the birth of our Savior, let us also celebrate the life of one of his lost sheep, found and returned to the fold.
Despite his rough beginnings, Stanley "Tookie" Williams turned his life around and devoted whatever remained to him to trying to save others from his own fate. God keep him and have mercy on those who could not find it in them to forgive. -- Nimitz' Lady
SAN QUENTIN, Calif. (AP) - Demonstrators for and against a scheduled execution have gathered outside California's San Quentin prison.
At a minute past midnight, Pacific time, former gang leader Stanley "Tookie" Williams is set to die by lethal injection.
The Supreme Court, an appeals court and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger have all refused to halt the execution. Williams was convicted of the 1979 deaths of four people killed in two robberies.
He insists he is innocent. And supporters say he's a changed man who has renounced gang violence in a series of books. His supporters include actor Mike Farrell and TV judge Greg Mathis. Supporters of the victims say Williams' death is long overdue.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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