The execution of Tookie Williams

[amx]

Tookie Williams, founder of the crips street gang was executed this morning after twenty five years in jail and exausting all of his appeals. Governor Schwartaneger refused to grant clemency because he did not believe Tookie was reformed or repentant. Williams killed four people. One of the man he told to lay face down on the floor while he shot him in the back. HE LATER LAUGHED AS HE RECALLED THE GURGLING SOUNDS HE MADE WHILE DYING. Oops sorry caps lock.

He seems to have been very evil. I have heard it theorized that prison and it's protections kept him alive as long as it did.

How do you feel about the death penalty?

Do you know anything about Tookie's reformation? There were hints on the news and show blurbs from some school children discussing what a positive influence this man was for them.

I would like to hear what you think.

 

[SixClowns]

Tookie recieved a fair and exhaustive review of his legal case, the fact that 20 years has past since he commited his crime proves that the appeals process in this country is sincere and the fact that they exhaust every avenue automatically.

As far as the death penalty I have gone back and forth on this over the years. Our society is not the first or only to incorporate the death penalty. For every good answer to why the DP shouldn't exist there is the very real question of what if that was your family scenario.

I have enough faith in our citizens and appeals process to agree that the death penalty is delivered justice, at least Tookie had the luxury of preparing his heart to recieve Jesus, repent and go to heaven - which is more than he gave the gurgling victim in this story.

His death was 'clean', 'quick', and 'painless'... honestly I never knew the man or heard about him until about a month ago his writing of childrens books neither impresses me or motivates me to change my opinion on the DP.

 

[GQ Chris]

Only God can judge him now.

 

[5stringJeff]

If anyone is a candidate for the DP, it's the founder of one of the most violent crime organizations in 21st century America.

 

[Everlastinglife]

He was a guilty man sentenced to pay for his crime on earth, his soul was up to him.

God Bless.

 

[pairofdivers]

I agree with his sentence.
In addition, I had never heard of him, up until all this talk of the DP came up over the last few weeks.
Didn't they make a movie about him setting up the Crips? Just curious...

 

[HeartFullaLove]

I agree with his sentence.
In addition, I had never heard of him, up until all this talk of the DP came up over the last few weeks.
Didn't they make a movie about him setting up the Crips? Just curious...

The movie was called Redemption. In a couple of places it seemed to imply that he had become a Christian. I don't know how his continued claim to be innocent works with that idea.

Ironically for me, I saw the movie two weeks ago. Until then, I had not heard of him and, at the time, I had no idea his execution date was so soon.

I certainly hope he made peace with God, but there seems to be something about him that indicates to me he did not.

 

[GQ Chris]

Did he ever repent and accept Jesus Christ before he died?

 

[Uphill Battle]

Did he ever repent and accept Jesus Christ before he died?

Only Tookie and Jesus REALLY know.

 

[agyevesam]

I have never been in favor of the death penalty.

If he did indeed become a christian in prison, he is in a much better place now.

Praying for his immortal soul.

 

[GQ Chris]

I have never been in favor of the death penalty.

I do believe in it. God will deliver justice in the next life if it isn't done by men in this one.

 

[Ave Maria]

I do believe in it. God will deliver justice in the next life if it isn't done by men in this one.

The very fact that God will deliver justice in the next life if it isn't done in this one is the very reason why we should not be the ones to decide when to end life and when not to. The only reason that a life should be ended, in my opinion, is when that person is an extreme danger to society and cannot be easily contained within the walls of a prison or something. Well, I don't know if I made much sense there or not so basically here is what I believe:

2267 Assuming that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.

If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.

Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity "are very rare, if not practically non-existent."​

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2267.htm

​

 

[amx]

I used to be 100% PRO death penalty. I've noticed that people react to pro life folks who believe in the DP abou tthe same as I react to a member of PETA wearing leather shoes. So this is the main reason I've stepped away from DP support. Have any of you ran into this?

 

[HeartFullaLove]

I used to be 100% PRO death penalty. I've noticed that people react to pro life folks who believe in the DP abou tthe same as I react to a member of PETA wearing leather shoes. So this is the main reason I've stepped away from DP support. Have any of you ran into this?

Being pro innocent life, is not a contradiction to being pro guilty death penalty.

 

[Ave Maria]

Being pro innocent life, is not a contradiction to being pro guilty death penalty.

True but then again, God is the ultimate judge of our souls.

 

[HeartFullaLove]

True but then again, God is the ultimate judge of our souls.

What you do with your soul is God's judgment, what you do with your body (like murder) is also the State's judgment.

 

[amx]

Being pro innocent life, is not a contradiction to being pro guilty death penalty.

That's a new way to think about this. Thank you

 

[NTGRTY]

I personally can't agree with DP. Ending the ability for a soul to repent and attain salvation is not a game I want to play.

A thought that may put it into a bit different perspective: What if there was "puller duty"? Kinda like jury duty, but instead, you get the summons in the mail saying YOU are the one who has to pull the switch. Would you still be as comfortable with the idea?

I've heard too many testimonies from prison missions that after 5 or 10 years, someone finally gave it all to Christ. It's a gamble with convictions and yet simultaneously an easliy solved issue: when in doubt, throw it out.

 

[DeaconDean]

I agree with the DP. Tookie got what the courts handed out. He was tried and convicted by a jury of his peers. He exhausted all of his appeals and was executed. He may have done some good while in prison but the ultimate question is did he accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior before he died. He was convicted for the murder of 4 people. I guess "Thou shalt not kill." does not mean anything anymore. "Render unto Caesar the thing which are Caesars," his Caesar said he was guilty and punishment was handed down. I have no problem with this. Now he has to answer to God for what he has done. Which would be worse, the death penalty here on earth or facing the "second death?"