Time ticks for Tookie
GOP Vixen
By Bridget on Crime-time special
The California State Supreme Court late yesterday refused to stop the execution of convicted quadruple murderer and Crips co-founder Stanley Tookie Williams -- set to die by lethal injection at San Quentin on Tuesday at 12:01 a.m.
His defense team then filed that same appeal to the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, which has turned down Tookie in the past. That decision is expected today.
Also, the clemency decision of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- who met behind closed doors for a clemency hearing with both sides last Thursday -- is expected today.
A few people asked me last week what I thought the chances were for gubernatorial clemency. I said 25%. In my mind, that number has dropped.
The Associated Press is reporting that "Williams' supporters also made another pitch directly to the governor Sunday to spare his life, telling (the governor) in a letter that they had a new witness who could help prove Williams' innocence."
Wow -- what are the odds that in 24 years the miracle witness who could prove his innocence surfaces in the last 24 hours? Could this witness' first name be "Stall," last name "Tactic"?
And now to the riot rumors ... L.A. Weekly reported in its Dec. 2-8 edition:
"Several gang members in Los Angeles, some known for statements of braggadocio, said they are going to riot if the scheduled execution takes place.
'Took die, the city fry,' said Raymond 'The Hatchet Man' Locket, a member of the West Side Harlem Crips, who says he knew Tookie back in the day. 'That’s the word on the streets.'
Several other gang members, who would not give their names, concurred with Locket’s statement."
I particularly enjoy threats that rhyme! The City Council and LAPD addressed unspecific rumors on Friday, asking churches to open their doors and shelter people should rioting start. (May I suggest also cracking down with police and/or National Guard?) The San Francisco Chronicle sent a reportor down to South Central for a story published Saturday:
"... The Williams case has become a cause, like Rodney King, whose beating by police in 1992 sparked widespread riots in Los Angeles. The people are at once full of hope and afraid that if Williams is executed, the same thing will happen in South Central that happened in the King case.
'If they kill him, there is going to be a riot,' said hair stylist Shelton Carter, 43, as he stood at the checkout counter of the West-Vern Liquor & Deli store in an area known as the 'Rolling 40s' or '40 Crips,' gang lingo that has been adopted even by the police."
Stay tuned to GOP Vixen as things develop... |
