Tookie Williams (Page 5)

Playing devil's advocate, and admittedly not knowing much about the facts of the evidence implicating him...what if he didn't do it? 

The fact that Tookie did some good behind bars, more good than he's doing now that he's dead? 

I am sure the families of the victims were VERY happy to hear that Tookie reconsidered his ways and learned to differentiate between what’s right and what’s wrong after murdering their beloved ones…

I'm sure they could give a rat's @ss about what he did behind bars. That's not my point, though.

Fair enough. But let's look at the first example:

Joseph Burrows Illinois Conviction 1989 Released 1994No physical evidence linked Burrows to the murder of William Dulin.The prosecution's two chief witnesses recanted their testimony againstMr. Burrows, and one of them confessed to the murder for which Burrowshad been sent to death row. One of the witnesses said he had been coercedby prosecutors and police. Burrows was released in September, 1994, andthe Illinois appellate courts have upheld the overturning of his conviction.

So two witnesses recanted their testimony, and one confessed to the crime he was convicted of.

Anyone want to venture how the facts in that example were bent? 

            I see no reason that any prisoner should have television, it is a privilege not any kind of right. Exercise equipment again is no right, they can do calisthenics in their cell or isometric exercises, yoga or a number of other things for their physical health.

            Regarding prison rape, I think the system should do more to protect prisoners, form each other. Again more solitude would assist in that.

I don’t why you said that I mentioned they have an easy or cushy life, I just think it should be with fewer costly amenities and less access to the outside world. That seems to be a common political tactic, trying to put words in other people’s mouth that they didn’t say. I never said that I thought being in prison was easy, I just stated that I feel it should have fewer privileges and less access to the outside world.

I think that more people, myself included would consider abolishing the death penalty, if they had fewer privileges, including access to the outside world. 

One of the things after looking at all of your posts is obvious to me. You don't give a Rat's A@@ about he victims, their families or how they fell about having to hear about what a wonderful person Tookie is.

Now, everyone is more of a threat than Tookie.

But, that was just plain mean.

You know what? If you knew anything about me you'd know that wasn't true. It pains me to no end that people lose loved ones. I'm a father of a 5 year old girl. I'd be in human not to. I've asked myself before how I would feel if something happened to her, and I can honestly say that I would probably want whoever did anything to hurt her dead of a horrible death.

But I don't like that part of me. It's not Christian, and it's not who I am. It's an animalistic, primitive reaction, and I strive to be better than that.

I believe if we kill the killers, then we're no better than they are. And I seriously want to be better than that. 

 I know this is a sensitive topic, and one fraught with emotion. But if we can't have the argument without personal attacks, then I want no part of it. So cut it out, please.

Taking of another human life is wrong. Period. While it is justifiable in cases of self-defense, it's still wrong. Just because a society has determined that a certain type of killing is right (and for me, this means euthanasia, suicide, abortion, capital punishment) doesn't mean it is. [I allow that I have never been in the circumstances which have required me to personally deal with these issues, and I appreciate that it is possible that if I had, I may have a different opinion. I believe that society in general has a disregard for the value of human life.]

Edited for clarification: I also think the penal system is seriously messed up. There has GOT to be a way to remove criminals from society, and the associated privileges like TV, etc, and to eliminate the horrible things that happen in prison, such as rapes, etc. Personally, I don't know what that way is.

Your right I don't know you. I am basing and standing by my statement solely on what I have seen you share on this topic.

I have seen many of your posts in the past, and yes some are worth paying for. On this subject however, you come across as completely unsympathetic to the victims and or their families. You actually think, don't you, that Tookie being allowed to become a celebrity author is a good thing with no consideration for the families of his victims? If you don't you should go back and re-read some of your own posts.. Tell me why should he or any other convicted criminal be allowed to benefit from publishing a book in prison?