More on Tookie

I'd blogged about Tookie Williams, the Crips' founder on death row, here. Jack Dunphy does a much better job here. What specifically interested me in the Dunphy article is the details he included about Tookie's crimes, back up by a link to the Los Angeles district attorney web site detailing the evidence behind Tookie's conviction. The crimes of which Tookie stands accused are appalling, and the likelihood that he did them is about 99.9999%. Tookie's impending death came up during a dinner with friends. One proposed a straw poll, saying jokingly "Everyone who is always opposed to the death penalty, raise your hand," as her hand shot up into the air. I said to her that I recognized all the huge flaws in the death penalty (the risk of error, the racism and poverty-ism that characterizes it, the differing standards in differing communities, the expense, the moral dilemma, etc.). However, I also said that, when it comes to people who are known to be guilty and who are, I think, evil incarnate, I just can't make myself have a problem with the death penalty. My examples: Richard Allen Davis, Charles Manson and his crew, and Ted Bundy. If I'd gone to this web site, I could have had an even longer list. And you know what? My friend who is completely opposed the death penalty agreed that, well, she didn't really have a problem with those guys getting killed. And that's the problem with the death penalty -- no matter how bad and unfair and expensive it is, there are some people we all agree shouldn't live. UPDATE: Here's Michelle Malkin's excellent roundup of Tookie related info.