The confusing case for clemency

[MorganGrayson]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The California Supreme Court refused Wednesday to halt the scheduled execution of convicted killer Stanley Tookie Williams, the Crips gang founder who became an anti-gang activist while in prison and whose supporters claim has redeemed himself.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger could also still intervene. He has agreed to hear Williams' clemency petition, and if clemency is granted it would commute the inmate's sentence to life without parole.

"Rehabilitation" in our prison system is considered more or less of a joke. It's widely known that all our prisons do is create better criminals.

But...every once in a while you get a Tookie Williams, who "seems" (in quotes for a reason) to have been not only rehabilitated, but doing his best to rehabilitate others.

There are arguments, passionate arguments, for both sides of this issue.

Too many people on both sides have their own personal axes to grind.

Punishment for crimes is supposed to be done in the "best interests of society," not what's best for the convicted criminal. Williams throws a mild monkey wrench into the previous sentence, as his work with children's books and anti-gang violence seems to be a good case for keeping him alive. The founder of the Crips working against gangs benefits society.

Is it a good enough case for clemency and the reduction of his death sentence to live without the possibility?

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