Can a convicted killer be libeled?
Nov. 17th, 2005 07:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
varropdxI say "Yes," in order to get him executed.
Consider the case of Stanley "Tookie" Williams, scheduled to be executed December 13 by the State of California for four murders in 1991.
Williams is one of a number of people who appear to have reformed in prison. The book "Among the Lowest of the Dead," by David von Drehle, relates the cases of a number of people for whom prison has focused them - killers who have done something shocking - actually turned themselves into responsible prisoners in a controlled environment.
The case can be made that Williams turned himself from unrepentant gangbanger to cautionary example while in prison - he has written books warning children away from gangs, as well as his biography attempting to keep children from turning into gangbangers.
However, California Department of Corrections spokesman Vernell Crittendon has apparently libeled Williams in an attempt to get him executed. Crittendon, without evidence, has accused Williams of orchestrating gangland crimes from prison, even though the LAPD has no evidence whatsoever of Williams being involved in any current gang activity. `
Crittenden accuses Williams of still being involved in gangland activity because he will not inform on his old gang associates. I would think that Williams is as much interested in self-preservation as anything - if he would have started squealing, there would be no reason for Ahnold to execute him. Someone else would have beaten the State of California to the punch.
I am weakly in favor of the death penalty. There are some people who cannot even be controlled inside a prison, and should be killed because of their danger to prison staff and fellow prisoners. But Stanley Williams does not appear to be one of them. Imprisoning Williams for the rest of his life is enough to protect society and deter others from killing. And Crittenden is doing something very dangerous - libeling someone who still has something left to lose.
Consider the case of Stanley "Tookie" Williams, scheduled to be executed December 13 by the State of California for four murders in 1991.
Williams is one of a number of people who appear to have reformed in prison. The book "Among the Lowest of the Dead," by David von Drehle, relates the cases of a number of people for whom prison has focused them - killers who have done something shocking - actually turned themselves into responsible prisoners in a controlled environment.
The case can be made that Williams turned himself from unrepentant gangbanger to cautionary example while in prison - he has written books warning children away from gangs, as well as his biography attempting to keep children from turning into gangbangers.
However, California Department of Corrections spokesman Vernell Crittendon has apparently libeled Williams in an attempt to get him executed. Crittendon, without evidence, has accused Williams of orchestrating gangland crimes from prison, even though the LAPD has no evidence whatsoever of Williams being involved in any current gang activity. `
Crittenden accuses Williams of still being involved in gangland activity because he will not inform on his old gang associates. I would think that Williams is as much interested in self-preservation as anything - if he would have started squealing, there would be no reason for Ahnold to execute him. Someone else would have beaten the State of California to the punch.
I am weakly in favor of the death penalty. There are some people who cannot even be controlled inside a prison, and should be killed because of their danger to prison staff and fellow prisoners. But Stanley Williams does not appear to be one of them. Imprisoning Williams for the rest of his life is enough to protect society and deter others from killing. And Crittenden is doing something very dangerous - libeling someone who still has something left to lose.
