Crips Co-Founder Gets Private Clemency Hearing
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Friday (Nov. 25) that he will hold private hearing on whether or not to grant clemency to convicted killer and Crips gang co-founder Stanley “Tookie” Williams.
While Gov. Schwarzenegger is not legally obligated to hold a public or private hearing, he has agreed to a Dec. 8th meeting with Williams' lawyers and Los Angeles County prosecutors.
The meeting was prompted by several protests in support of Williams and a rally held by Snoop Dogg and other celebrities outside the main gates of San Quentin last week.
"Stanley 'Tookie' Williams is not a regular guy, he's an inspiration," Snoop said during his speech at the rally. "All I want to say to the Governor is it's about keeping this man alive because his voice needs to be heard."
Williams’ case garnered further attention when Academy Award winning Actor Jamie Foxx played the convict in "Redemption: The Stan ‘Tookie’ Williams Story."
The former Crips co-founder faces death by lethal injection on Dec. 13 for allegedly murdering four people in 1979.
Williams maintains his innocence and requested that the California Supreme Court reopen his case.
He alleges that sloppy forensics and questionable witnesses mistakenly linked him to the murders.
Proponents argue that Williams, who has been nominated for several Nobel Peace Prizes as an anti-gang activist, could do more for society alive than dead.
Last week his lawyers served the Governor’s office with close to 32,000 signatures of people supporting his petition for clemency.
Although Williams has reaped national support, the death row inmate is facing stiff opposition from the LA County prosecutor’s office and victims' relatives, all who have demanded his execution.
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