The 24 years that Stanley Williams, a founder of the Crips gang, spent on California’s death row ended early this morning when he was executed for four murders that he committed in 1979. As interesting as the story of how he changed in those 24 years may be, I’d rather have been able to read what Albert Owens, Yen-I Yang, Tsai-Shai Yang, and Yee-Chen Lin — the four people he was convicted of killing — had done since 1979, four stories Mr. Williams cut short with a shotgun.
Stanley Williams isn’t the victim
The 24 years that Stanley Williams, a founder of the Crips gang, spent on California’s death row ended early this morning when he was executed for four murders that he…
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You’re a bit more hard-line than me (LINK); I’m neutral-to-opposed on the death penalty, but still think Williams is a horrible candidate to argue for its abolition.
Tookie may or may not have been a victim, I won’t argue that point. But is the world a better place now that California has executed him?
Could this Nobel Peace Prize nominiated extremely outspoken advocate for inner city youths, and vigorous opponent (and stark reminder) of the dangerous trap of gang life have done more good alive than he does in death? Could his words and example have changed the lives of even one child heading down the same road he traveled?
I’m not in the camp of those who argue Tookie was innocent, or that he had repaid his debt to society (or his victims).
However, I do think he could have done more good in life than in death, and that singular desire for “an eye for an eye” justice will be paid for by those who’s lives may have been changed by Tookie’s words.