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Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Action Summit Network (HSAN) recently appealed to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to spare Stanley "Tookie" Williams' life.
Williams, co-founder of The Crips gang, is scheduled to be executed tomorrow (December 13). Snoop Dogg and Jamie Foxx, who played the death row inmate in the biopic, Redemption, have also been pushing for Williams to be granted clemency.
The text of the HSAN's appeal was written December 1 and was recently released.
"It's only three days before the scheduled execution of Tookie Williams and we add our voices to the millions of people throughout the world who believe that clemency is not only appropriate, but also the most moral, humane and spiritual decision Governor Schwarzenegger could make," Simmons said via a statement on Friday (December 9).
In the letter, Simmons also mentioned that Williams, though a former gang leader, was able to turn his life around and provide positive guidance to youths that otherwise would have followed in his previously destructive footsteps.
Simmons pleaded that Tookie has been giving "love and meaningful life-lessons back to his community, and in this case to a community that desperately needs to overcome the decades-long miseries of poverty and ignorance."
After citing that Williams has received President George W. Bush's Volunteer Service Award and has been nominated for a Nobel Peace and Literature prizes, Simmons concluded by writing, "Williams' life should be spared so that he can continue from prison to help youth in impoverished communities develop constructively. The demands of justice and mercy should be served in this case with your act of clemency."
Last week, Gov. Schwarzenegger met with Williams and his attorneys. At press time, the governor had not made a decision regarding Williams' execution.
In related news, this weekend, reports surfaced that The Bloods, The Crips' rival gang, promised to surrender weapons if the governor accepted to grant Williams clemency.
Source: sohh.com
Williams, co-founder of The Crips gang, is scheduled to be executed tomorrow (December 13). Snoop Dogg and Jamie Foxx, who played the death row inmate in the biopic, Redemption, have also been pushing for Williams to be granted clemency.
The text of the HSAN's appeal was written December 1 and was recently released.
"It's only three days before the scheduled execution of Tookie Williams and we add our voices to the millions of people throughout the world who believe that clemency is not only appropriate, but also the most moral, humane and spiritual decision Governor Schwarzenegger could make," Simmons said via a statement on Friday (December 9).
In the letter, Simmons also mentioned that Williams, though a former gang leader, was able to turn his life around and provide positive guidance to youths that otherwise would have followed in his previously destructive footsteps.
Simmons pleaded that Tookie has been giving "love and meaningful life-lessons back to his community, and in this case to a community that desperately needs to overcome the decades-long miseries of poverty and ignorance."
After citing that Williams has received President George W. Bush's Volunteer Service Award and has been nominated for a Nobel Peace and Literature prizes, Simmons concluded by writing, "Williams' life should be spared so that he can continue from prison to help youth in impoverished communities develop constructively. The demands of justice and mercy should be served in this case with your act of clemency."
Last week, Gov. Schwarzenegger met with Williams and his attorneys. At press time, the governor had not made a decision regarding Williams' execution.
In related news, this weekend, reports surfaced that The Bloods, The Crips' rival gang, promised to surrender weapons if the governor accepted to grant Williams clemency.
Source: sohh.com