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 […]

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.