The Story of Stanley “Tookie” Williams

In researching my photo essay topic: The Story of Stanley “Tookie” Williams, I encountered many dilemmas. Since I was limited to only five photos, I had to be extremely selective to ensure that I provided a fair and balanced narrative of his story. In deciding whether to include and/or eliminate certain photos, I had to ask a series of questions. Am I trying to slant/bias the reader of this story? Do I have a subconscious agenda I am trying to promote?

I enjoyed considering the merits of each photo carefully. What impression do I give if I use a color picture as opposed to a black and white photo? Will readers unfamiliar with the story of Stanley “Tookie” Williams judge him more harshly if I include a picture of him smiling in lieu of a picture of him looking remorseful? The same type questions arose in consideration of which protest rally photos should I include. Do I want readers to see the people’s message? Do I want a picture that better illustrates the large numbers of “Tookie’s” protesters/supporters? Is it important to show the caliber of some of his supporters? Additionally, I needed to determine whether or not the protestors were there specifically for Stanley “Tookie” Williams or were they basically there protesting against the death penalty.

I enjoyed creating this photo essay because there were so many decisions to make. The only slight frustration I encountered was there were some images I wanted to include that were not photographs, but images that had been created and/or manipulated using computer software.

This particular essay was easy because there were not too many photographs in existence from which to choose. Stanly was imprisoned as a one-dimensional character; he was incarcerated at a young age and stayed behind bars for the remainder of his life. Therefore, he did not have many photo opportunities. I used the Google Search Engine to locate images of Stanley “Tookie” Williams, the Crips, and “that governor” from California.

Mourners paying their respects at the funeral home on December 19, 2005, the day before the funeral. AP/Ric Francis

Dead at 51, Stanley “Tookie” Williams co-founded one of the most violent and deadly gangs in America, was convicted of four murders, served twenty-four years in prison, became a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, children’s author and a vocal advocate against gang violence. He maintained his innocence up until his death. William’s funeral was held in 1,500-seat Bethel AME Church in LA. The service lasted four hours. In a recording played to mourners, Williams said, “The war within me is over. I battled my demons and I was triumphant.”

The lethal injection table at San Quentin State Prison./flickr

Stanley “Tookie” Williams spent over twenty five years on death row, including six and a half years in solitary confinement. Williams was due to be executed December 13, 2005. According to San Quentin Operational Procedure No. 770, authorities began admiistering the lethal injection at 12:01 am. Thirty four minutes later, Inmate CDC# C29300, better known as Stanley”Tookie” Williams, was pronounced dead.

San Questin rally to protest the execution of Stanley "Tookie" Williams. SF Bay Area IMC

Over 2000 people, most of whom are opposed to William’s death, demonstrate outside San Quentin State Prison, William’s cause was heralded by prominent figures ranging from the likes of the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Professor Angela Davis to Snoop Dogg and Jamie Fox. William’s case set off intense debate over the merits of capital punishment and the true indicators of redemption. Their message was the same: his initiatives and anti-gang message from behind bars meant his life was worth saving. Clemency was rejected by Governor Schwarzenegger.

An alleged victim of Williams’/jtf

In 1979, though he maintained his innocence, Williams was convicted of murdering four people during two separate robberies. They included 23-year-old Albert Owens, a clerk at a Pico Rivera 7-Eleven, and motel owners Yen-I Yang, 76, his wife, Tsa-Shai Yang, 63, and their visiting daughter, Yee-Chen Lin, 43. Allegedly, Williams’s shot Yee-Chen Lin (pictured above) at close range with a shotgun. Williams’ made a number of accusations at the trial including, but not limited to: prosecutorial misconduct, no credible evidence (i.e. fingerprints, boot prints, eyewitnesses, etc.) obtained from the crime scene, biased jury selection, and ineffective assistance from counsel.

During the L.A. riots, the Crips pose for a picture. AP/Susan Ragan

The Crips is a gang co-founded by Stanley Tookie Williams III and two teenage friends in 1969 in South Central Los Angeles. Initially the group was called the Baby Avenues, Over time, they came to be known as the Crips. The organization originally stood for, Community Revolution in Progress and was intended to continue the revolutionary ideology of the 1960s. However, the group lacked leaders with political knowledge or experience. Without an agenda for social change, the group’s focus shifted to protecting themselves from other gangs in the area; they grew increasingly violent in the process.