BigDavyG

Besides, what proof is there that this man has been rehabilitated ??
Would it not be reasonable to suggest that he has done what he's done inside in order to save his own skin ??

I'd maybe have written a few book if I'd been in his position myself.

snowbunny

Clemency means a show of *mercy* which is taking pity on someone for whatever mitigating circumstances or NONE AT ALL. One very interesting statistic I heard on NPR (yeah liberal) was that before the death penalty was abolished as cruel & unusual, the clemency rate was about 20% -- that is, of those who appealed for clemency, 1 in 5 received it. The rate post reinstatement is only 5%.

If society does not acknowledge the hard work of prisoners like Williams, then what possible motivation do prisoners have to EVER reform?!

britchicknyc

Rehabilitation doesn't seem to be the issue at this late stage.

Clemency generally only seems to me given, for an unfair trial or proof of innocence - which is why he never admitted guilt, because then he knew there would be no chance of clemency.

Clemency will only mean life without parole.

CarlM

Well, BREAKING NEWS: - Schwartznegger and Federal court have both denied clemency.. so, if my calculations are correct, theres no way he gets to see Santa!

britchicknyc

Yep -

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/12/12/wi...ion/index.html

franc11s

[QUOTE=BigDavyG]Besides, what proof is there that this man has been rehabilitated ??
QUOTE]

I am more for foregiving but apparently this guy is obviously playing the system. I heard someone close to those that died, say on the Radio, if you don't support capital punishment then go through your congressmen. She said this guy has played out every option to him.

1. For years pretending he was insane
2. Then still threatening people in prison.
3. Remember, he laughed and danced after killing a whole family.

Everyone close to this case HAS had a chance to see if this guy REALLY has changed, I think if you study this case, you will see he is playing the system. If future criminals/gang members think allthey have to do is pretend to be rehabilitated then what's to discourage them.

Sad to say, and I struggle with my own faith here, I believe it will discourage others if he is executed. It will be God to choose whether he is going to a better place - or worse - not me.

anotherlimey

Good point. Apparently he hasn't helped police with gang related information, so maybe it is just a ploy.

CarlM

"Mercy is an act of grace, an act of grace that can never be deserved. Were it deserved, it would merely be justice"

I forget who quoted that!

BigDavyG

Err the fact that they have committed a heinous crime should motivate themselves to make amends. You see your statement seems to indicate that you're missing the point of rehabillitation.
If someone is motivated only by a desire to save their own skin then they have not truely rehabillitated at all.

As for the death penalty, well its there to act as a deterent. If people commit crimes that make them subject to capital punishment then subsequently get let off then it kind of lessens the effect don't you think ??

CarlM

To play devils advocate here, i would ask this: If the death penalty is effective, why do we keep having to use it??

Chorlton

People either don't think or don't think they will get caught.

BigDavyG

That's a good point. I have to say that many people who commit such crimes probably aren't capable of thinking 10 seconds into the future so they prob don't realise what they're letting themselves in for.
That said, I'm not trying to justify the dp, just explain the reasoning behind it. If you let a significant proportion of the people sentanced to death off then there's no point in having it as a punishment.
Whether its justifiable to have it as a punishment in the first place is another matter entirely.

BigDavyG

After the execution stand by for a deluge of racially motivated bile from the usual suspects.

franc11s

** lead prosecutor John Monaghan called "extremely brutal crimes." Monaghan noted that despite his anti-gang activism, Williams has consistently refused to take part in a debriefing with authorities to provide them potentially valuable information about the Crips gangs.

** The Corrections Department earlier this month posted a press release on its Web site about the upcoming execution, detailing Williams' crimes and asserting that he has been a gang leader while on death row at San Quentin Prison.

** San Quentin spokesman Vernell Crittendon, speaking on behalf of the department, went further in an interview last week, saying he suspects Williams is orchestrating gangland crimes from his cell.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178360,00.html

franc11s

The number of times it's used (or needed to be used) is going down..