Stanely "Tookie" Williams

[TrainTrac]

Think about this:



If Williams converted it Islam while incarcerated, is he having his way with 72 virgins right now?

 

[Frank Marano]

He shot to death at LEAST 4 people with a shotgun. He got what he deserved.....

 

[Dana OBrien]

FastEddie --

I am not trying to start any sort of religious battle, in fact this will probably be all I say about this.

Doesnt the bible also say somehting about obeying the laws of the land?

Even as cristian as our leadership in this country is, it is not a christian government ( i know "in god we trust...") therefore we have no reason to use the guidelines to that religion.



plain and simple, he was found guilty, sentanced to death ( according to our laws, a suitible punishment) and dispached.



I probably shouldnt have opened that can of worms, and like I said, my point is not to sit and argue about it. I just get upset when the religious world and secular world are stirred together when trying to determine what or who is right or wrong.



-2 cents complete-

 

[Johnny O]

He shot to death at LEAST 4 people with a shotgun.

And called the Asian family he shot "Buddahheads" too. Sounds like a "hate crime" to me.

Bailiff, whack his pee-pee.



Basically I'm in favor of zapping people for murder, the only problem I have is the number of people released from prison and/or death row when modern DNA testing proved they were innocent. Guy here in Pittsburgh got released last summer after spending 18 years in prison for rape after DNA analysis proved he didn't do it. I say if you're gonna give people the chair, the bar for proof should be set pretty high.

Life without parole is okay, but you still have the chance of people getting paroled anyway or escaping and committing more crimes.

When O.J. and Robert Blake get off and Martha Stewart goes to jail, you know it's bassackwards.

 

[Paul Maurer 2]

This guy breathed for 26!!! more years than his victims- one a young girl with half her head blown off. The death penalty needs to be carried out swiftly, not 26 years after the crimes and after the ******* becomes a "celebrity". I would like to see the clock start ticking once the sentence is imposed- with a one year time limit on appeals.

 

[Wes Davis]

The only reason I don't believe in the death penalty is because I know that at some time in history an innocent person has been put to death for a crime they didn't commit. Even if one person has been executed wrongly that is way more horrible a crime than any of these real murderers could ever commit. Just imagine knowing you didn't do the crime and having someone stick needles in your arm to end your life for it. About once a month you here a story of a guy serving life in prison, been in for 20 years and now DNA evidence clears him. To me this is unbelievable. These people and their family's should be given a carefree life on the country's dime and never have to want for anything again and this still will not make up for what has been done to them. You can't take back a mistaken execution.

 

[Fred]

If only there weren't so many already living a carefree life on the country's dime for no reason. Wait, different thread, sorry.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Yeah, Me, I hear you.



I just find it ironic that there is such hypocracy on "death" on both ends of the ideological spectrum. Bleeding-heart liberals cry for this guy, but abort innocent babies; while right-winger conservative Christian types cheer for this guy to die in a very unJesus-like fashion, and call for an end to abortion.



My stance on abortion and the death penalty is that there ought to be less of both, and clearly there are more humane alteratives to each that allow for life, and the infinite possibilities that life brings.



TJR

 

[TomT]

I agree ME that our justice system leaves a lot to be desired but my feeling is this:

I don't believe for one minute that "innocent" people are wrongfully convicted. Maybe they were wrongfully convicted of the crime they are accused of but the police just didn't go out and grab someone off the street. They were usually arrested because they had committed previous crimes, gang bangers, or got caught committing a different crime. Even if someone like Tookie was innocent of that particular crime (don't think he was) then the world is still a better place without the a-hole.

 

[Nelson Atwell]

I know most don't care, but the Catholic church stands against Capital Pinishment and Abortion. Their doctrine is to respect all life at all stages from fertization of the egg to a natural death.



It seems pretty logical to me that if cell division is taking place, then there is life. I'm sure that if NASA found a one-celled organism on Mars, which is less complex than a human zygote, they would proclaim to the World that life has been discovered.



Also, anyone who has read the Bible knows that Jesus said, do not Judge, lest you'll be Judged. Believe the Bible or not, I would not sit in judgement to execute another person. I wouldn't even do it for a family pet. God created life, and it is his to take it away at the time and place he decides. The only exception I'll make is if someone is attacking my Country, my family or me.

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

In case you all haven't heard, everyone in prison is guilty. As for giving the guy that just spent 20 years in prison a free ride on the gov. dime. What do you think he's been doing the PAST 20 YEARS? I agree with TomT that these "innocent" people are not so innocent. Most already have a record and a reason for the police to watch them.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

TomT says

I don't believe for one minute that "innocent" people are wrongfully convicted. Maybe they were wrongfully convicted of the crime they are accused of but the police just didn't go out and grab someone off the street.

That sounds like the old "Well if he didn't do that crime well then he did others" argument.



That's moot. In our legal system you can't be found guilty due to past crimes.



And, TomT, pure logic and odds would dictate that there must have been at LEAST one person put to death already that was innocent of the crime charged, and also who never did anything else either. There have been too many put to death over the years for at least ONE to not have slipped through.



Do I think it happens often, no. But I am more inclined to think that it probably has happened then definitely has not happened.



But even if guilty? Why death? It isn't a deterent! It isn't cheaper than life in prison! Is it ONLY for vengence?



TJR

 

[Fred]

It could be cheaper. 4 shotgun shells, like the ones tookie used don't cost that much.

 

[Wes Davis]

All very good points but no very good answers. Oh well, life goes on. For some of us anyway.

 

[TomT]

I admit I'm pretty vocal about the death penalty. I not only believe in it, I believe it should be utilized more. Rapist, child molesters and anyone that commits an armed robbery should all be put to death instead of locking them up for a couple of years and then releasing them so they can harm someone else. Somehow, we have to make our streets safer and ease the over-crowding of our prisons. Criminals don't mind going to prison, so incarceration is definately not the answer. If you know of another deterrent then I'm all ears.

 

[Nelson Atwell]

Castration is a solution. Half the stuff the gangsters do is to get women anyway. At least if it doesn't work with the first generation, there won't be a second generation to deal with.

 

[Kerry Matthews]

Not to mention all the new prisons that need to be built... Let's empty out the people we have now on Death Row! Get rid of 'em, and get some new ones in there! Let's make an 'electric couch' that we can put 6 of 'em at a time on and turn up the juice!!!



VACANCY: San Quentin Prison Death Row cells! Now available - NO WAITING!!!

 

[Fred]

LOL Krash!



Electric couches would reduce the cost by frying in parallel. Yah! Turn up da juice!

 

[Jenn D]

Let's make an 'electric couch' that we can put 6 of 'em at a time on and turn up the juice!!!

Here! Here! I'll drink to that!!

 

[Nelson Atwell]

If you want efficiency, duplicate the facilities at Auschwitz. :blink:



Last I heard our court system's goal wasn't to be efficient, but the goal is to be just..