[honeychile]

Other than a Cliff Notes version of Mr. Williams founding the Crips (which was a new facet of American society at the time), and that he killed four people, I will admit that I do not know enough about this particular case to comment. As this has been a discussion on the death penalty, though, I'd like to say something.

Several years ago, I saw a documentary on the death penalty on HBO. They followed several men on death row, how they got there, and what they feel now that they are there. One of these men made such an impression on me, I went from being against the death penalty (except in cases where the condemned requested it, like Gary Gilmore) to being very much in favor of it. This man said what several others said, only in a more eloquent way.

He had robbed a convenience store in the Midwest, kidnapped the pregnant clerk, and crossed the state line in a several hour police chase. He said, "If she hadn't screamed about her baby, I wouldn't have had to kidnap her.... Why the police chased me for so long, I don't know, but they forced me to go into Oklahoma.... If (the woman's name) hadn't started screaming again when the police got close, I wouldn't have had to get rid of her.... Now the State wants to murder me."

No remorse. No admitting that, had he not robbed the store in the first place, he wouldn't be on Death Row. He didn't kill anyone, the State wanted to murder him.

This was one man of many interviewed, all of whom (but one) used the State wanting to murder them line. The racial make up was even among the prisoners, but it was all basically the same.

There was also an indepth description of lethal injection, and how it works. They interviewed the prison employees, and how they felt about the death penalty, and the show did its best to give a balanced point of view. I wish they would show it again, for others to see.