Snoop Dogg Rallies for Crips Co-Founder

[Royal~R]

By RON HARRIS, Associated Press Writer Sat Nov 19, 7:40 PM ET

SAN QUENTIN, Calif. - Rapper Snoop Dogg urged Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger on Saturday to grant clemency to convicted murderer and Crips co-founder Stanley Tookie Williams so he can continue his work with young people.
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"Stanley Tookie Williams is not just a regular old guy, he's an inspirator," the rapper and former Crips member told a crowd of about 1,000 outside San Quentin State Prison.

Williams, 51, is set to be executed Dec. 13. He was convicted in 1979 of murdering four people during two robberies in Los Angeles. He has exhausted his appeals and has asked Schwarzenegger for clemency.

Schwarzenegger said this past week that he was "dreading" the decision.

Williams founded the Crips with a childhood friend in 1971 in Los Angeles, and in the following years, the gang battled with its rival, the Bloods, for territory and control of the drug trade.

In prison, however, he gained international acclaim for writing children's books about the dangers of gang life. An award-winning television movie starring
Jamie Foxx, "Redemption," was based on his life.

Snoop Dogg, 33, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, said Williams inspired him to work with young people. The rapper said he was once a gang member and now does youth outreach activities, including running a football league for youngsters.

"I didn't get this from somebody that was on the streets. I got this from Stanley Tookie Williams, a brother that was locked up on death row," he said, wearing a white T-shirt with huge black letters that said savetookie.org. "He inspired me to want to do something positive with my life and to go touch the kids."

The rapper had wanted to visit Williams on death row, but his application was denied by prison officials because of his criminal record. Snoop Dogg has been arrested several times for weapons and drug-related offenses, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Organizers played a new Snoop Dogg song called "Real Soon," which promotes Williams' advocacy work.

Todd Chretien, who works with the Campaign to End the Death Penalty, an advocacy group that helped organize the rally, implored the governor to grant clemency.

"There is no reason on earth to kill him, and there is every reason to keep him alive," he said.

___

Associated Press Writer Kim Curtis contributed to this report.




thats my niggaa snoop.

[NobodyButMe]

although i don't believe in the death penalty i think this guy needs to pay for his actions.

you don't just kill 4 people, start one of the biggest gangs in LA and write a couple of childrens books and expect to be remembered as a 'good person'.

[Jome]

That's wack Snoop.. 
He killed 4 people, I very strongly doubt that Snoop would have done this if Williams wasn't a crip co-founder, Snoop is just fishing for street cred. 

[Eihtball]

although i don't believe in the death penalty i think this guy needs to pay for his actions.

you don't just kill 4 people, start one of the biggest gangs in LA and write a couple of childrens books and expect to be remembered as a 'good person'.

Why do so many people forget about gang truces he authored?  I find it frustrating that whenever people talk about him, they simplify his accomplishments down to, "He wrote a couple children's books".  He's done a lot more than that, and it'd be nice if people at least acknowledged that.

Maybe he doesn't need to be remembered as a "good person", but he does need to be considered a vital resource for helping to end the decades of gang warfare that have plagued L.A.  If he started this shit, he can certainly help end it - and he has been doing just that.  I think people need to accept that the people he killed aren't coming back, and that killing him isn't going to change that.  People need to look to the future and realize that he may hold the key to ending what he started.

[Wessia4LiaNia Chieee Chieee]

that's right.. head over at www.daveyd.com and read more about it, although I think the articles are written subjective...

[.:Hercy Buggz:.]

people that are againts this basically needs CHURCH!

[Real American]

Didn't Snoop have a song that went "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time"?

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Didn't Snoop have a song that went "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time"?

He asking to do the time, instead of going to the chair.

[The Predator]

Come on Arnold, let the old rehabilated man live.

Stanley Tookie Williams O.G.

[Juronimo]

I hope he gets clemency but it won't happen despite the good he's done.

Capital Punishment needs to be done away with.

[GangstaBoogy]

That's wack Snoop.. 
He killed 4 people, I very strongly doubt that Snoop would have done this if Williams wasn't a crip co-founder, Snoop is just fishing for street cred. 

exactly! but fuck it, since were starting rallies for criminals, FREE PREME RALLEY IN BALBOA PARK THIS SATURDAY.

[The Watcher]

they should've killed him back when he did the murders originally, not so long after .. the man is tryin to end gangs which is alot more than anyone else is doing about it, let him live

[Machiavelli]

Come on Arnold, let the old rehabilated man live.

Stanley Tookie Williams O.G.

Damn hes fucking big, I would not want to fuck with him...

[Bch]

yea id say let him live,, but as far as ending gangs, gangs will never die, its a way of life

their are gang members out there in L.A. that are not in there right mind, they just snap and go out and do dirt and could careless about breaking the law they dont give a F
thats just the reality of it