A Los Angeles radio station KFI 640 AM has launched the “Kill Tookie Hour,” a daily feature on “The John and Ken Show” until Stanley “Tookie” Williams is executed for murder.
The station, which Daveyd.com reports is owned by Clear Channel, started the event on Monday November 21 and it is scheduled to run until December 13, the day the former gang leader is to be put to death.
Area activists have called for a full investigation by the FCC.
"The core and the manner of the on-air remarks, which were extremely distasteful towards Williams and his plight, were extraordinarily disturbing and offensive," said Jasmyne Cannick of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable. "I urge the Federal Communications Commission to examine this incident – particularly in light of other recent, similarly offensive attempts at ‘entertainment’ by KFI 640 AM host John Zeigler, who tried to find humor in the death of attorney Johnny Cochran claiming he was going ‘straight to hell’ for defending a killer [in O.J. Simpson] – and to take any and all actions consistent with applicable FCC rules and regulations."
Cannick theorized that a radio station would “be in a lot of trouble” if it were to launch a “President Bush Must Die” hour. “We must draw that line at some point,” she said.
Concerned citizens convened at the Lucy Florence Coffee House on Wednesday morning in protest of The John and Ken Show, Clear Channel and KFI 640 AM.
Davey D, who attended a press conference regarding the matter, admitted that the community isn’t fully supportive of clemency for Williams, who is credited for co-founding the Crips gang and convicted of murdering four people.
“One of the speakers, an elderly woman named Ms Herod, spoke. She is an advocate for the victims of gang violence. She spoke about the fact that a lot of people in South Central are not in favor of clemency for Tookie, however, she and many others, were disturbed by the circus-like atmosphere and party-like vibe created by Clear Channel regarding Tookie. She broke it down and reminded folks how things were in the days of lynching. She talked about how people celebrated the lynching of Black men and for these guys to go on the radio and act like they were concerned for the ‘hood and victims of gang violence was crazy.”
A judge signed Williams’ death warrant on October 24 and celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx and Daz Dillinger have publicly supported the Nobel Prize nominated author. The former gang leader has renounced his past lifestyle and penned a number of children’s books.