Tookie Williams (Page 4)

I think what Possum meant was she didn't expect Tookie to be released if he were granted clemency, or others like him who are in prison granted parole.

Well...I seriously doubt that. Once a machine like that is in motion, I don't think one guy can just yell stop.

If Bin Laden were to all of a sudden find Christ and ask Al Queda to cut it out, do you think it would just go away? 

Remember though, that Tookie's been out 26 years. Anyone in the Crips when he was busted is most likely dead now. 

Sigh. How many drive-by shootings have there been because "they did it to us. We're just getting back at them."? Besides, who decides if it is deserved? What if they're wrong?

I will keep my comments succinct:

You live by the sword, there is a good chance you will die by the sword.

I don't believe in killing people. Period.

No one's said that explicitly, but plenty of people have weighed in on the Christian perspective. 

So that's always good advice, but I'd be curious to hear what facts you think we're bending? The fact that life in prison isn't an easy one? The fact that it costs a bunch more money to execute a prisoner? The fact that we're morally convicted in our belief? The fact that Tookie did some good behind bars, more good than he's doing now that he's dead? 

Maybe if the opponents of the death penalty spent the time and resources on advocating that prisoners, death row or not were not given the privileges of TV, cable or not, gym rooms, access to the media and the ability to publish books.

A number of repeat offenders are repeat offenders so they can go back where they feel comfortable.

I think one of the things that the victims and victims’ families find so reprehensible is the life that criminals have in prison. Tookie is a perfect example, why was he afforded the opportunity to become a celebrity author. When you are a convicted criminal, you lose certain right, the ability to interact with the outside world should be one of them.

If riding our county of the death penalty is really that important to some of you I would suggest;

1.      That you would have an easier time swaying a lot of people if first advocate their loss of privilege, such as TV, Radio, exercise equipment, just to name a few.

2.      Limit their ability to clog up the legal system

3.      Limit their ability to have access to the media and outside world. 

If you really are so concerned about the morality of the US please expend your efforts on making prison a better option than the death penalty. Victims of crimes like Tookies shouldn’t be forced to hear about his success and accomplishments. He was in prison for Capital murder, not on an authors training scholarship. You just might have a better chance of getting the death penalty removed, if the victims feel that justice will be more served by them spending their life in total solitude.  

One argument is that it's supposed to be a deterrent, but studies have shown that it's not.

See previous points about relative costs. You pay a lot more money for people in death penalty cases than you do when the death penalty isn't in play.

If you worry about your tax dollars, then you should be opposed to capital punishment.