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Save Stanley 'Tookie' Williams

THEyelloMATTER | 27.11.2005 14:21

Save Stanley ‘Tookie’ Williams

Stanley 'Tookie' Williams has had his execution date set for the 13th December 2005 at 12:01am. That's in just over two weeks!

Stanley co-founded the notorious Los Angeles gang the Crips in 1971. In 1981 he was convicted of the murders of four people in two robberies. Whilst Stanley has deep regrets about his time as a Crip he has always maintained his innocence for the crimes for which he has been convicted.

Much of his trial was based on the testimonies of several witnesses, themselves facing felony charges. In addition the physical evidence related to the case did not point to Williams being guilty of these murders.

Just as in the case of so many black defendants Stanley did not have the benefit of a trial by a jury of his peers as three African Americans were thrown off the jury leaving ten whites one latino and one filipino to judge him.

Whilst on Death Row Stanley Williams has worked tirelessly to break down the Gang Culture which he helped to create. He has written 9 children's books with the aim of showing young people how they can steer clear of the gang culture and avoid the usual route towards crime and incarceration. His 'Protocol for Peace' has helped bring about truces between gangs and served as a successful method for communities to quell gang violence. As a mentor he has helped young offenders, young people attending at-risk schools and those visiting him at San Quentin Prison. Stan has been nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize and four times for the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature.

Stanley regrets his activities as co-founder of the Crips and the devastation that his involvement with the gang caused in the years before his incarceration. Undoubtedly he holds a certain responsibility for the actions of the gang he helped to create. However he has spent over 20 years in Death Row working to ensure that young people do not go down the same road as him. From behind bars he has helped to destroy gang culture and reversed his role to become an extremely positive force for grass roots change.

Stanley's work is proof that he does not deserve to die. Stanley Williams deserves clemency. If the state will not release him then offer him life in prison as an alternative sentence. He must be allowed to continue his work and he must be allowed to prove his innocence. His death would be the death of an important role model. A genuine role model who does not speak to young people from a textbook but from experience and it is this experience that has saved the lives of over 150, 000 individuals. Stanley chose a life of crime and violence and since his incarceration has worked to offer young people another choice. Young people need individuals like Stanley 'Tookie' Williams. A whole host of community leaders, activists and celebrities have signed a letter urging Governor Schwarzenegger to grant clemency.

Please help us to stop Stan's execution by appealing to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:

Please sign Stan's online petition at:

www.savetookie.org

Contact Arnie and let him know how you feel at:

State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633
To send an Email please visit:  http://www.govmail.ca.gov

Fresno Office
2550 Mariposa Mall #3013
Fresno, CA 93721
Phone: 559-445-5295
Fax: 559-445-5328

Los Angeles Office
300 South Spring Street
Suite 16701
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Phone: 213-897-0322
Fax: 213-897-0319

Riverside Office
3737 Main Street #201
Riverside, CA 92501
Phone: 951-680-6860
Fax: 951-680-6863

San Diego Office
1350 Front Street
Suite 6054
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-525-4641
Fax: 619-525-4640

San Francisco Office
455 Golden Gate Avenue
Suite 14000
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 415-703-2218
Fax: 415-703-2803

Washington D.C. Office
134 Hall of the States
444 North Capitol Street NW
Washington D.C. 20001
Phone: 202-624-5270
Fax: 202-624-5280

Contact Stefanie from Death Penalty Focus and ask how YOU can help:

Death Penalty Focus
870 Market St. Ste. 859
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel. 415-243-0143
Fax 415-243-0994

 stefanie@deathpenalty.org

www.deathpenalty.org

More info on the case can be found at:

www.tookie.com

www.savetookie.org

We have literally days left to raise awareness and put the pressure on the State of California and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to award clemency to Stan. To kill this man would be a crime in itself. Stan’s death would show young people that even an attempt to do good leads to death so they might as well die in the streets rather than spend years behind bars waiting to die. The world needs Tookie and others like him. Please do something and do not let a man who has done so much good DIE!

THEyelloMATTER
- e-mail: yellob2000@yahoo.com