Santa Cruz Vigil Against the Execution of Stanley Tookie Williams

On December 12, 2005, about 50 people attended a candle light vigil against the death penalty held at the Town Clock in Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz Chapter of Death Penalty Focus displayed banners that read, "The State will kill Stanley Tookie Williams in your name tonight!" and "Truth Not Vengeance".

Stanley Tookie Williams III was executed in the early morning on December 13 by lethal injection administered by the state of California.

From Indybay.org

Stanley Tookie Williams, Killed by the State of California
FORMER CRIPS GANGMEMBER REHABILITATED, BUT KILLED ANYWAYS

Stanley Tookie Williams III was executed early this morning by lethal injection administered by the state of California. Williams, who was weeks from his 52nd birthday, is said to have been a co-founder of the Crips gang in Los Angeles. In 1981, he was convicted of the 1979 murders of four people in the Los Angeles area. After 6.5 years in solitary confinement on Death Row at San Quentin, he renounced his past gang affiliation. He wrote several books and started programs to discourage youth from joining gangs. A film starring Jamie Foxx entitled "Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story," was made to tell his story. Williams never admitted to having committed the murders for which he was convicted. This was one reason that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger cited for denying him clemency. Supporters of Williams tried to submit issues to various legal bodies in hopes of being granted a stay of execution. If a 60-day stay had been granted, it would have given time for courts to examine the legal issues that are outstanding in the case. It would have also given California's legislative bodies a chance to vote on AB 1121, the California Moratorium on Executions Act.

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Crossposted at Santa Cruz Indymedia.