Stanley Williams

[55] [56] The defense of Stanley Tookie Williams stated that this was a lie purported by the police department, and in their Reply Petition for Executive Clemency they attached a declaration from Lafayette Jones' mother which declared, under penalty of perjury, that Lafayette was not Stanley Tookie Williams' son. Most of his later film and TV credits are for his music. The police department identified Jones as the son of Stanley Tookie Williams. Sting has also made appearances on television (including guest spots on The Simpsons and Ally McBeal) and the stage. In November 2005, the Fontana, California Police Department advised print and television media that a warrant had been issued for a registered sex offender, Lafayette Jones. Notable roles include:. was sentenced to sixteen years in prison for second-degree murder. He made his film debut with 1979's Quadrophenia.

Williams, Jr. Sting has occasionally ventured into acting. Stanley Williams' other son, Stanley "Little Tookie" Williams, Jr., a Neighborhood Crip, was found guilty of shooting a twenty year-old woman to death in an alley off Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. From the Racing Stripes soundtrack. [54]. From Sacred Love. He said, "I feel it's my duty to go on a worldwide campaign to show that redemption is real," he said. From Slicker Than Your Average (Craig David album).

According to the December 21, 2005 article, "Funeral Service Celebrates Williams' Conversion From Violence to Peace; About 2,000 mourners hear celebrities and friends call the Crips' co-founder's execution a waste and praise his advocacy for children" written by LA Times Staff Writer Lisa Richardson, Willliams' son "brought the church to its feet" when he promised to teach Schwarzenegger about redemption. From Brand New Day. Travon was the only family member who spoke at the funeral. From The Very Best of Sting & The Police. [53]. From Mercury Falling. [52] Travon is married, a father, owns a home and works for a social services agency in the Los Angeles area, said Barbara Becnel, Stanley Williams' co-author, according to Associated Press writer Kim Curtis in November 2005. From Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls soundtrack.

He said he was at peace with himself and proud of his son," who avoided the gang life, according to Leslie Fulbright, a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. From Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984-1994. "He was great. From Ten Summoner's Tales. Williams Taylor talked to her ex-husband by phone that day. From The Three Musketeers soundtrack. Travon Williams, the older son by Bonnie Williams Taylor, whom Williams wed in 1981 before his conviction, was 32 years old at the time of his father's execution. Non-album single; soundtrack from the film of the same name.

"It's nine-fifteen on twelve-thirteen and another black king will be taken from the scene" [51]. From Ten Summoner's Tales. Rapper Snoop Dogg recited a poem to mourners about the execution-. (Albums released after going solo.). Teach them to promote peace and teach them to focus on rebuilding the neighborhoods that you, others and I helped to destroy.” (Stanley "Tookie" Williams). [2]. Teach them to strive for higher education. I would want to spend the rest of my life discovering your beautiful country.

“Teach them how to avoid our destructive footsteps. I like the Hindu religion more than anything else at the moment I have become addicted to India .. I battled my demons and I was triumphant,” Williams said. In a sense I am more of a Hindu.. “The war within me is over. His words in an interview were:. At his funeral, the last words of Williams echoed from a tape played to mourners, whom he asked to spread a message to loved ones:. In early 2005, Sting proclaimed that he admires Hinduism, wants to spend a lot more time in India and that he loves Indian culture.

[50] It is planned that Williams' body will be cremated and his ashes will be sent to South Africa for scattering. His practice consists primarily of a Ashtanga Vinyasa series, though he has experimented with other forms. Williams' funeral filled the 1,500 seat Bethel AME church and drew a wide variety of people from current gang members to celebrities and religious leaders. Soon after, Sting began a regular yoga practice. [49] A memorial service was held in Los Angeles on 20 December 2005, where Becnel read his final wishes. However, around 1990 he met Danny Paradise who introduced him to yoga. The viewing drew approximately 2000 people. To keep physically fit, for years Sting ran (5 miles a day) and did aerobics.

Williams' body was laid out for viewing on 19 December 2005. Although Sting was long reputed to be a devotee of tantric sex, he has more recently claimed that it was an interview prank, or a dinner-party joke that took on a life of its own. An archived copy of a Maura Dolan's Los Angeles Times November 29 article on the history of Becnel's efforts on behalf of Williams can be found here [48]. In an interview given by Sting, he also referred to what he believed was the natural occurrence of lithium in the brain when one views a sunset, but this may have been a confusion with endorphins. [47]. According to some reports, he did this because he wanted to help people who really have this disease. Williams’ spokeswoman and co-author, Barbara Becnel, said shortly after Williams's death that she is "now on a mission." [46] "That mission is one: to obtain justice for Stanley Tookie Williams by proving beyond a shadow of a doubt his innocence, (and) continuing to preserve the incredibly remarkable legacy of this man who personifies redemption." Williams directed Becnel to receive his body, and Becnel began making the funeral arrangements. He has written a song entitled "Lithium Sunset" which appears to refer to lithium carbonate, a treatment for the disorder.

So take care.”. It is unclear whether he was serious or not when he referred to himself as manic-depressive. So with that, I am grateful….I say to you and everyone else, God bless. [1] Although Sting also owns properties in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, and Malibu, California, he currently calls Tuscany his home. And whether others choose to believe that I have redeemed myself or not, I worry not, because I know and God knows, and you can believe that all of the youths that I continue to help, they know, too. Sting's lookalike son Joseph is following in his father's musical footsteps and is a member of the band, Fiction Plane. That's the beauty about it. Sting and Trudie have four children: Bridget Michaela (aka "Mickey", born 1984), Jake (born 1985), Eliot Paulina ("Coco," born 1990), and Giacomo Luke (born 1995).

It's accessible for everybody. In 1982 - shortly after the birth of his second child - Sting separated from Tomelty and began living with actress (and later film producer) Trudie Styler, but the two did not marry until 1992. And it doesn't -- is not predicated on color or race or social stratum or one's religious background. The couple had two children, Joseph (born 1976), and Fuchsia Katherine (born 1982), before they divorced in 1984. That's how I would like my legacy to be remembered as: a redemptive transition, something that I believe is not exclusive just for the so-called sanctimonious, the elitists. Sting married actress Frances Tomelty, a Catholic from Northern Ireland, on May 1, 1976. And I say to you and all those who can listen and will listen that redemption is tailor-made for the wretched, and that's what I used to be….That's what I would like the world to remember me. Also in 2004, his song "You Will Be My Ain True Love" for the Cold Mountain soundtrack was an Oscar nominee, and was performed at the awards by Alison Krauss, with Sting accompanying on a hurdy-gurdy.

So, therefore, I just stand strong and continue to tell you, your audience and the world that I am innocent and, yes, I have been a wretched person, but I have redeemed myself. Sting embarked on a Sacred Love tour in 2004 with performances by Annie Lennox. This is pure faith, and predicated on my redemption. His autobiography Broken Music was published in October. It has nothing to do with machismo, with manhood, or with some pseudo former gang street code. Blige and sitar maestro Anoushka Shankar. In an interview [45] on WBAI Pacifica radio hours before the execution, however, he had this to say: “[M]y lack of fear of this barbaric methodology of death, I rely upon my faith. 2003 also saw the release of Sacred Love, an original studio album with racier beats and experiments collaborating with hip-hop artist Mary J.

[44] At the time of his execution, he provided no last words to the prison warden. During that performance Sting performed a duet with Gwen Stefani of "Message in a Bottle". Williams requested no last meal and consumed only milk and oatmeal throughout the day. Sting kicked off 2003 with a performance during the Super Bowl's half time show. [43]. In the summer, Sumner was awarded the "CBE" - the Commander of the British Empire. Adam Housley, a reporter for Fox News, described the experience as "choreographed", "sterile", and "clinical". Late in the year, it was announced that The Police would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2003.

Lora Owens appeared very upset, according to MSNBC anchor Rita Cosby. In June, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Members of Albert Owens' family who witnessed the execution were described as stony-faced. He won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for his second Academy Award for his song "Until..." from the film Kate & Leopold. He talked with his guards throughout the process. 2002 was a year of awards for Sting. Williams apparently exchanged many glances with his supporters. All This Time featured jazzy reworkings of Sting favorites such as "Roxanne" and "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free".

Witnesses described a somber mood in the execution chamber. His live album, All This Time, recorded on a moonlit night in Tuscany, was released in November but did not generate healthy sales. Fagan later wrote a detailed description [42] of the execution. Later, Sting performed "Fragile" for the fundraiser America: A Tribute to Heroes. And most strikingly at the end of the execution, as those three were heading out, they yelled, “The State of California just killed an innocent man!” which is the first time I ever heard any outburst in the death chamber there.". On September 11, he recorded a new live album in Italy, but the Internet simulcast was canceled after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. We could see them, and throughout the last part of the execution -- or preparing him when he was still conscious, they gave what looked like black power salutes several times to him, one man and two women. His song "After The Rain Has Fallen" made it into the Top 40.

Becnel was among them, I understand. In February 2001, he added another Grammy to his collection. The most notable thing was that Williams had supporters at the back of the room… Ms. For his performance, the Arab-American Institute Foundation gave him the Kahlil Gibran Spirit of Humanity Award. A reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, Kevin Fagan said, "This is the sixth one I have seen here at San Quentin, and I have to say this was very different. At the awards ceremony, he performed "Desert Rose" with Cheb Mami. He kept them on, and he kept looking…". In 2000, he won Grammy Awards for Brand New Day and the song of the same name.

He had his glasses on the whole time. The album went Triple Platinum by January 2001. Added Contra Costa Times reporter John Simerman, "They had some trouble with the second I.V., which was in the left arm… Williams, at one point, grimaced or looked almost out of frustration… at the difficulty there…. Sting made a (partial) comeback with the September 1999 album Brand New Day, including the Top 40 hits "Brand New Day" and "Desert Rose" (Top 10). [41]. (Sting was also featured on Toby Keith's country cover-version of "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying", on Keith's 1997 Dream Walkin' album.) In 1998, he appeared in the Guy Ritchie film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The process which should take only a few minutes instead took about 20 minutes. Yet, he reached the Top 40 with two singles the same year with "You Still Touch Me" (June) and "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" (December).

According to CNN, the staff had difficulty inserting the needles. Sting's 1996 album, Mercury Falling debuted strongly, but dropped quickly on the charts. An unnamed reporter at the execution said that Williams showed no resistance, neither when he came into the chamber shortly after midnight, nor after he was strapped onto the gurney. Finally in November, he released a greatest hits compilation called Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting, which was eventually certified Double Platinum. Their description is as follows: [40]. The Berklee College of Music gave him his second honorary doctorate of music degree in May. PST (08:35 UTC), several reporters who witnessed the execution held a news conference. In February, he won two more Grammy Awards and was nominated for three more.

After Williams was declared dead at 12:35 a.m. charts. He was the 12th person executed by the state since California reinstated the death penalty in 1977. charts for five weeks and went Platinum; it is to date Sting's only song from his post-Police career to top the U.S. Newsweek reported [39] thousands of protesters outside, most asking for clemency. The song stayed at the top of the U.S. After exhausting all forms of appeal, Williams was executed by lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison, California, on December 13, 2005. Together with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart, they performed the chart-topping song "All For Love" from the film The Three Musketeers.

[38]. Sting reached a pinnacle of success in 1994. Williams about an escape plan which involved the killing of a bus driver and another accomplice. In May 1993, he released a remix of the classic Police song from the Ghost In The Machine album, "Demolition Man" for the Demolition Man film, starring Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock and Benjamin Bratt. Prosecutors had cited handwritten notes written by Mr. The hit single "Fields of Gold" has since become a "standard", and very well known via versions by Eva Cassidy and Verity Keays. Williams.". In 1993, he released the album Ten Summoner's Tales, which went Triple Platinum in just over a year.

Oglesby told Von Ellerman that he was using the documents to testify against Williams and others "to obtain a reduction or eliminate charges against him." Von Ellerman also observed Oglesby copying from samples of Williams' handwriting "to create incriminating documents that would appear to be written by Mr. The following year, he married Trudie Styler and was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in music from Northumbria University. Mr. The album eventually went Platinum. He states that he had observed his cellmate George Oglesby receive police reports on Williams and others from the Sheriff's department. Sting's 1991 album The Soul Cages was dedicated to his recently deceased father and included the top 10 song "All this Time" and the Grammy winning "Soul Cages". It included reference to an affidavit by Gordon Bradbury von Ellerman attesting to belief in Williams' innocence and dated December 10 [36] states that he called the NAACP on December 8 after reading that date in the Daily Breeze [37] that his cellmate, George Oglesby, had testified against Williams. His most high-profile contribution to the human rights cause came in 1988, when he joined a team of major musicians and rising stars — including Peter Gabriel and Bruce Springsteen — assembled under the banner of Amnesty International for the 6-week world Human Rights Now! Tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

That same day, Jonathan Harris, a New York counsel with Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP, filed a response [35], summarizing new evidence of innocence. His support for these causes continues to this day. Schwarzenegger summarized by basing his denial of clemency on the "totality of circumstances." (Summary – Details in PDF format). With long-time girlfriend Trudie Styler and Raoni Metuktire, a Kayapó Indian leader in Brazil, he founded the Rainforest Foundation to help save the rainforests. In his denial, Schwarzenegger cited the following:. Throughout the 1980s, Sting strongly supported environmentalism and humanitarian movements, such as Amnesty International. On December 12, 2005, Schwarzenegger denied clemency for Williams. Soon thereafter, in February of 1988, he released Nada Como el Sol — a selection of five songs from Nothing Like the Sun sung (by Sting himself) in Spanish and Portuguese.

Williams work." [34]. It eventually went Double Platinum and was recognized as one of the most important rock & roll albums of the 1980s. This position of peace would honor my husband's memory and Mr. Sting released Nothing Like the Sun (1987), including the hit songs "We'll Be Together" and "Be Still My Beating Heart", dedicated to his recently deceased mother. Williams to join me in sending a message to all communities that we should all unite in peace. He also sang the introduction and chorus to "Money for Nothing", a groundbreaking song by Dire Straits. I invite Mr. Within a year, it reached Triple Platinum.

Williams' peace initiative. It included the hit single "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free". By contrast, on December 9, 2005, Linda Owens, Albert Owens' widow, issued a statement in support of Williams’ efforts to bring an end to gang violence and his call for peace between gangs: "I, Linda Owens want to build upon Mr. 1985's The Dream of the Blue Turtles, featuring a star-studded cast of jazz musicians, was Sting's first solo album. [33]. The song was a re-interpretation of a song from the 1920s musical Mr Cinders by Vivian Ellis, and was a surprise top twenty hit. On December 8, 2005, Lora Owens, the stepmother of Albert Owens, one of the victims, made a statement expressing her opinion of Stanley Williams: "I think he [Williams] is the same cold-blooded killer that he was then and he would be now if he had the opportunity again." [32] Owens' two daughters, Rebecca and Andrea, who were 8 and 5 when their father was murdered, also opposed clemency and recalled that they were aghast when they had learned that their father's murderer was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. In 1982 he released a solo single, "Spread A Little Happiness" from the Dennis Potter television play Brimstone and Treacle.

Press conferences and rallies in more than a dozen California cities called for a halt to all executions and asked Governor Schwarzenegger to commute Williams’ death sentence to a sentence of life without parole; demonstrations against the death penalty also took place in numerous cities around the world. Sting's participation in The Secret Policeman's Other Ball was the beginning of his growing involvement in raising money and consciousness for political and social causes. The “California Moratorium on Executions Act”, A.B.1121, is scheduled to have its first hearing in January 2006. His performances were prominently featured in the album and movie of the show and drew major critical attention for Sting. On November 29, 2005, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California announced [31] that more than 175,000 Californians had signed a petition requesting the temporary suspension of executions in California until the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice could complete its study due by December 31, 2007. The band included Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Phil Collins and Bob Geldof all of whom (except Beck) later worked together on "Live Aid". Tony Ford, who is up for execution on March 14 in a disputed conviction, helped organize a prisoners' strike in Texas protesting Williams's execution. He perfomed solo versions of "Roxanne" and "Message in a Bottle" He also led an all-star band (dubbed "The Secret Police") on his own arrangement of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released".

Other prisoners were also involved in activism to save Williams's life. In September 1981, Sting made his first-ever solo live performance performing on all four nights of the fourth Amnesty International benefit The Secret Policeman's Other Ball at the invitation of producer Martin Lewis. See photos of some of the activist events to stop the execution. To help promote a greatest hits album that year they also made a re-recording of a new arrangement of one of their hits "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" as a special bonus track to be included on the album. Celebrities also joined the fight, including Snoop Dogg, who appeared at a clemency rally wearing a shirt advertising the Save Tookie website and performed a song he had written for Williams, and Jamie Foxx, who - noting that Tookie's execution date was his birthday - publicly stated that the only birthday present he wanted was clemency for Williams. Their performances were just for the benefit shows and were not part of an intended permanent reunion. Tookie's friend, co-author and political collaborator, Barbara Becnel, helped to spearhead much of the organizing. The Police performed together at some of the shows on the 1986 Amnesty International A Conspiracy of Hope Tour alongside U2 and other artists.

Many anti-death penalty and civil rights organizations around the country organized activist campaigns to stop the execution, including the Campaign to End the Death Penalty, the NAACP, and others. Their last album, Synchronicity which included one of their most successful songs, Every Breath You Take, was released in 1983. The recurring segment offended some members of the public, who filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission. Although they jumped on the punk bandwagon early in their career, they soon abandoned that sound in favor of reggae-tinged rock and minimalist pop. In the hour, they interviewed advocates of both sides of the issue and expressed their support of the impending execution. The group had several chart topping albums and won six Grammy Awards in the early 1980s. In mid-November 2005, talk show hosts John and Ken of the John and Ken Show on Clear Channel's KFI radio in Los Angeles, California started a "Tookie Must Die (For Killing Four Innocent People)" hour on their show daily until the execution of Williams. In 1977, Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers formed the rock/pop band The Police in London.

Also during this period, the media, community organizations, and relatives of the victims were speaking out. He once performed wearing a black and yellow jersey with hooped stripes that fellow band member Gordon Solomon had noted made him look like a bumblebee, thus he became "Sting." He uses Sting almost exclusively, except on official documents. [30]. He has stated that he gained his nickname while with the Jazzmen. Supporters of Williams also made another plea directly to Governor Schwarzenegger to stay the execution. He played with local jazz bands such as the Phoenix Jazzmen and Last Exit. On December 11, 2005, the California Supreme Court denied Williams' request for a stay of execution. His first music gigs were wherever he could get a job.

[29]. Before playing music professionally, Sumner worked as a ditch digger and a music teacher at a Catholic primary school. On November 30, 2005, the California Supreme Court, in a 4-2 decision, refused to reopen Williams' case. Both Audrey and Ernest Sumner died of cancer, but Sting did not (or could not) attend either funeral. While the clemency petition was pending before the governor, Williams also filed further appeals in the courts. Philip owns a pub in Newcastle, Angela works for British Airways, and Anita is an artist. Schwarzenegger described the decision whether to grant clemency as "the toughest thing when you are governor, dealing with someone's life.". He is the oldest of four children and has a brother, Philip, and two sisters, Angela and Anita.

The one-hour, closed-door meeting took place as a crowd consisting of both supporters of Williams and proponents of capital punishment congregated outside the Capitol in Sacramento. From 1971 to 1974, he attended Northern Counties Teacher Training College. On December 8, 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger held a clemency hearing. He attended St Cuthbert's grammar School, in Newcastle upon Tyne, and then the University of Warwick, but did not graduate. At least one commentator felt this strategy was flawed: San Francisco Chronicle writer Bob Egelko noted doubts stated by the courts handling the appeals and quoted Austin Sarat, professor of law and politics at Amherst College in Massachusetts and author of Mercy on Trial, a book about clemency: "It's [actual innocence] about the only ground in which governors grant clemency in the modern period...I know of no case in which a death row inmate has been spared (solely) on the basis of post-conviction rehabilitation." [28]. From an early age, Sumner knew that he wanted to be a musician. The clemency petition emphasized the theme of Williams' redemption, rather than his claim of actual innocence. Ernest was a milkman, and raised his children as Roman Catholics.

Williams said he didn't want to be a "snitch." [27]. Sumner was born in Wallsend, near Newcastle upon Tyne, in North-East England to Audrey (a Protestant) and Ernest Sumner (a Catholic via his own mother, Agnes White, whose father was an Irish stevedore). The Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney, and other law enforcement disputed that Williams had in fact reformed, saying that he refused to divulge information on other gang members, or debrief officials on the tactics and communication methods that gangs use. . The state, through the office of the Los Angeles County District Attorney, opposed the clemency petition. Prior to a distinguished solo career, he was the lead singer, principal composer and bassist of the 1970s/1980s rock band The Police. (See below for the full text of the documents filed in these proceedings.). Gordon Matthew Sumner, CBE (born October 2, 1951), usually known by his stage name Sting, is an English musician from Newcastle upon Tyne.

In early November, 2005, Williams' attorneys filed his formal petition for executive clemency, as well as a motion to obtain new evidence. JD, Eddie's father and owner of a bar, in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998). Those who campaigned against the execution included celebrities, politicians, and Nobel laureates. The voice of Zarm on Captain Planet and the Planeteers, a 1990s television show. In late 2005, a campaign began to urge the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to grant clemency for Williams in consideration of his work as an anti-gang activist and asserted "redemption." Thousands of people signed online petitions calling for Schwarzenegger to commute the death sentence. Finney, a nightclub owner in Stormy Monday (1988). The appellate court denied Williams' appeal in 2002, but noted that the federal courts were not his only forum for relief and that he could request clemency from the Governor of California. An "heroic officer" in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988).

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard Williams' appeal from the lower federal court. Baron Frankenstein in The Bride (1985). In 2001, the U.S. Mick, a black-marketeer in Plenty (1985). The lower federal court denied the habeas petition. Feyd-Rautha in the movie Dune (1984). The State courts affirmed the conviction. Martin Taylor, a drifter in Brimstone and Treacle (1982).

Williams appealed his conviction in the state courts, and filed a petition in the federal courts for habeas corpus relief. Ace The Face, the King of The Mods, aka The Bell Boy in the movie adaptation of The Who album Quadrophenia (1979). The Nobel Prize may not be awarded posthumously, therefore Williams is no longer eligible. 2005 "Taking the Inside Rail" #? US, #? UK. William Keach, a Brown University Professor of English Literature, nominated Williams for the Nobel Prize in Literature.[26] The Nobel Committee keeps nominations secret for fifty years. 2004 "Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)" #60 UK. Nominations came from Mario Fehr, a member of the Swiss Parliament [24] and four times by Notre Dame de Namur University Philosophy and Religion Professor Phil Gasper [25]. Blidge)" #60 UK.

Williams was reportedly nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize every year from 2001 to 2005. Mary J. [23]. 2003 "Whenever I Say Your Name (ft. Bush commending him for his social activism, one of some 267,000 "Call To Service Awards" that were sent out. 2003 "Send Your Love" #30 UK. President George W. Sting) #2 UK.

Harrison, a minister from West Monroe, Louisiana, Williams received a letter from U.S. 2003 "Rise & Fall" (Craig David feat. On the nomination of William A. 2000 "After the Rain Has Fallen" #31 UK. In 2004, he helped broker a peace agreement, called the Tookie Protocol For Peace, for what had been one of the deadliest and most infamous gang wars in the country, between the Bloods and the Crips, in both the state of California and the city of Newark, New Jersey. Cheb Mami) #15 UK, #17 US. In 1997, Williams wrote and posted on his website an apology for his role in creating the Crips. 2000 "Desert Rose" (feat.

Williams' books have not enjoyed strong sales [22], though they may have been distributed as donations to schools, children's centers, and the like. 1999 "Brand New Day" #13 UK, #100 US. He wrote several children's books advocating non-violence and alternatives to gangs, an autobiography Blue Rage, Black Redemption, public service announcements, and Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story, a Hollywood movie which honored him. 1997 "Roxanne '97" (remix) (with The Police) #17 UK, #59 US. After being released from solitary confinement, Williams gained world-wide attention and praise for his work in prison. 1996 "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" #94 US. [21]. 1996 "I Was Brought to My Senses" #31 UK.

"The particular set is known as the Blue Note Crips, and that information we have received since his arrival here in April 1981 and as recent as June of 2000," Crittendon said. 1996 "You Still Touch Me" #27 UK, #60 US. But we have also received information that has identified him as an active member of the Crips," Crittendon said. 1996 "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot" #15 UK, #86 US. Though the prison guards noted that he still remained a member of the Crips gang, "The violations are usually involving batteries on inmates, batteries on staff. Sting) #36 UK. The prison official had observed no gang activity and complimented Williams on his behavior for the last ten years. 1996 "Spirits in the Material World" (Pato Banton feat.

According to a classification report found on page 8 of filings by his lawyers during the clemency proceedings [20], dated August 5, 2004, Williams had no violations since that time. Pato Banton) #15 UK. [19] The following is a list of Stanley Williams prison record through 1993. 1995 "This Cowboy Song" (feat. As inmate CDC# C29300 [17] Williams spent 6 1/2 years in solitary confinement in the late 1980s [18] for multiple assaults on guards and fellow inmates. 1994 "When We Dance" #9 UK, #38 US. In response to questioning by the trial judge, the alternate juror stated that the jurors sitting in the center of the jury box had told her that after the verdicts were read, Williams looked at the jury and said that he was going to get all of them.". 1994 "Nothing 'Bout Me" #32 UK.

The trial record shows that after the jurors returned their guilty verdicts, Williams said, “Sons of bitches,” in a voice sufficiently loud that the court reporter included this statement in the trial transcript." "On the day that the jury began its penalty-phase deliberations, an alternate juror reported to the bailiff that some jurors believed that Williams had threatened them. 1994 "All for Love" (with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart) #2 UK, #1 US. The Court of Appeals summary of the case [16] Williams stated "that various jurors misconstrued as a threat a question that he asked defense counsel at the close of the guilt phase. 1993 "Demolition Man" #21 UK. [15]. 1993 "Fields of Gold" #16 UK, #23 US. According to Williams' defense attorneys, in two subsequent cases, District Attorney Robert Martin was censured by the California State Supreme Court for using race as a criterion in jury selection and had two murder convictions overturned on those grounds. 1993 "Seven Days" #25 UK.

[14]. 1993 "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" #14 UK, #17 US. According to the clemency petition, in his closing arguments, Martin described Williams as a "Bengal tiger in captivity in a zoo" and said that the jury needed to imagine him in his natural "habitat" which was like "going into the back country, into the hinterlands." In a radio interview, Martin stated that the analogy was not meant to be racial, and instead was a metaphor to the fact that Williams appeared in court dressed in business attire much like an animal in a zoo appears more docile than it would be in the wild. 1992 "It's Probably Me" (with Eric Clapton) #30 UK. [13]. 2003 Sacred Love #3 UK, #3 US, US Sales: 1,000,000. The defense, however, has neither stated whether or not his mother was actually Filipino, nor refuted the evidence that McLurkin was black. 2001 All This Time (live) #3 UK, #32 US, US Sales: 500,000.

McLurkin's driver license photo and the fact that both he and his mother were born in the Phillipines was presented as additional evidence in a November 2005 petition for clemency. 1999 At the Movies (Japanese release). McLurkin was black. 1999 Brand New Day #5 UK, #9 US, US Sales: 3,000,000. They maintain that the trial record indicates that none of the lawyers -- and particularly the prosecutor -- thought Mr. 1997 The Very Best of Sting & The Police #1 UK, #46 US (both positions for the 2002 re-issue). [12] The defense responded that, contrary to the sworn affidavit, McLurkin did not appear black. 1996 Mercury Falling #4 UK, #5 US, US Sales: 1,000,000.

[11] The District Attorney provided proof, however, in the form of a death certificate and the sworn affidavit of another juror, that juror #12, William James McLurkin, was black. 1994 Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984-1994 #2 UK, #7 US, US Sales: 2,000,000. Williams' lawyers claimed that he was convicted by a jury that had no Blacks, one Latino, one Filipino-American, and "ten Caucasians". 1993 Ten Summoner's Tales #2 UK, #2 US, US Sales: 3,000,000. The prosecution removed three Blacks from serving as jurors in Williams' trial. 1991 Soul Cages #1 UK, #2 US, US Sales: 1,000,000. [10]. 1988 Nada Como el Sol.

"It's as simple as that," said Williams' spokeswoman Barbara Becnel. 1987 Nothing Like the Sun #1 UK, #9 US, US Sales: 2,000,000. They stated that people who appreciate Williams' work sent him money. 1986 Bring On the Night #16 UK. Opponents also pointed out that he received a significant amount of money from outside sources. 1985 The Dream of the Blue Turtles #3 UK, #2 US, US Sales: 3,000,000. When contacted about Williams' alleged ongoing gang activity, Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman April Harding said there was no evidence of his gang leadership. Sting, who had a small acting career, had a small part in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back as an AT-AT Commander.

Critics point to the fact that although he apologized for and renounced gangs and the founding of the Crips, Williams never renounced his gang membership, and allegedly continued to associate with Crips members in prison. Sting's song "Desert Rose" is also used as XM Satellite Radio's technical difficulties music. The shell recovered from the Yang crime scene was conclusively matched to Williams' weapon "to the exclusion of all other firearms."[9]. Sting was nominated for Academy Award for his song "You Will Be My Ain True Love" from the movie "Cold Mountain" performed by Alison Krauss. The two shells recovered from the Owens crime scene were consistent with shells fired from this gun, with no exclusionary markings. Sting famously claimed to have had tantric sex with his wife for 24 hours. Williams' lawyers have claimed that the District Attorney quashed a murder investigation in exchange for their testimony. Was at one time close to becoming Gil Farrington in a motion picture of the same name, until Sir Ridley Scott terminated the project.

According to the District Attorney, the husband was undergoing sentencing for receiving stolen property and tried for extortion. [5]. Williams' gun was found in the home of a couple with whom he had been living. A Colombian tree frog was named for him in appreciation of his environmental activities: Hyla stingi. The Defense claims this expert's methodology was "junk science at best." [8]. The song is still widely associated with Jaguar. No second examiner verified his findings. Sting's song "Desert Rose" was used in many Jaguar commercials because of the fact that he drove a Jaguar during Desert Rose's music video.

Even the shotgun shells found conveniently at each crime scene didn't match the shotgun shells that I owned." However, the prosecution's firearms expert, a sheriff's deputy, testified during trial that the shotgun shell recovered from the Yang murder crime scene matched test shells from the shotgun owned by Stanley Williams. He appeared as himself in an episode of The Simpsons, taking part in the charity song for a boy who supposedly fell down a well, "We're Sending Our Love Down The Well". They didn't match my boots, nor eyewitnesses. Sting's fondness for Prokofiev manifested itself subsequently when he served as narrator for Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy [4] - one of the many versions of Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" that have been recorded by celebrities. From the beginning of his sentence, Williams maintained his innocence regarding the four murders, alleging prosecutorial misconduct, exclusion of exculpatory evidence, ineffective assistance of counsel, biased jury selection, and the misuse of jailhouse and government informants.[7] Williams claimed that the police found "not a shred of tangible evidence, no fingerprints, no crime scenes of bloody boot prints. The song "Russians" from The Dream of the Blue Turtles utilized a theme by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev. [6]. Sting also made a cameo appearance in the movie, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen [3].

The jury recommended the death penalty, and the judge accepted the recommendation and sentenced him to death. Sting and Knopfler remained friends despite this difference between their two music publishers and the fact that half of the writer's share of Knopfler's biggest hit goes to Sting for a contribution of just six musical notes out of the entire song. The jury also convicted him of robbery in both cases, and found that he personally used a firearm in the commission of the crimes. Even though the prologue only occupies a few seconds at the start of the recording - Sting's music publisher Virgin Music insisted that Sting be credited (and paid) as though he had written half of the entire song. Stanley Williams was convicted in 1981 of all four murders with special circumstances on each count of felony murder (robbery) as well as multiple murder in the case of the Brookhaven event. Sting came up with the musical motif to use for the words - and it was (probably consciously) musically identical to the melody line in his own Police song "Don't Stand So Close To Me" from the album Zenyatta Mondatta. Witnesses testified that Williams referred to the victims in conversations with friends as "Buddha-heads", a derogatory term for Asians. The prologue to the Dire Straits' recording "Money for Nothing" that features Sting singing the words "I want my MTV" was at the invitation of Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler.

Yu-Chin Lin was shot once in the upper left face area at a distance of a few feet. Sting was also the inspiration for the comic book character John Constantine (from Hellblazer). Tsai-Shai also received two close range wounds, one to the tailbone, and the other to the front of the abdomen, entering at the navel. In his Live8 performance he changed the lyrics to his song 'Every Breath You Take' from "I'll be watching you” to "we'll be watching you" — meant for the men of the G8. The forensic pathologist testified that Yen-Yi Yang suffered two close range shotgun wounds, one to his left arm and abdomen, and one to the lower left chest. It was later determined that the Brookhaven incident netted Stanley Williams approximately one hundred dollars.

Robert entered the motel office and found that his mother, his sister, and his father had all been shot; the cash register was empty. Shortly thereafter he heard a female scream, followed by gunshots. Robert, asleep with his wife in their bedroom at the motel, was awakened by the sound of somebody breaking down the door to the motel’s office. Inside the office, Williams shot and killed Yen-Yi, Tsai-Shai, and Yu-Chin, after which he emptied the cash register and fled the scene.

According to court transcripts, at approximately 5:00 am on March 11, 1979, Stanley Williams entered the Brookhaven Motel lobby and then broke down the door that led to the private office. Yu-Chin had recently joined them from Taiwan. They ran the Brookhaven Motel located at 10411 South Vermont Avenue in South Central Los Angeles along with their forty-three year old daughter, Yu-Chin Yang Lin, and son Robert. Yang, were immigrants from Taiwan.

The Yang family, husband seventy-six year old Yen-Yi Yang, and wife sixty-three year old Tsai-Shai C. Williams said that he “didn’t want to leave any witnesses.” Williams also said he killed Owens “because he was white and he was killing all white people.” Coward testified that Williams had bragged about the shooting, stating, “You should have heard the way he sounded when I shot him,” as he made gurgling or growling noises and laughed about Owens’ death. Once back in Los Angeles, Sims asked Williams why he had shot Owens. They had netted approximately $120 in the robbery.

Williams, Darryl, Coward, and Sims then fled in the two cars and returned home to Los Angeles. Records show that Williams shot out a security monitor and then killed Owens, shooting him twice in the back at point blank range as he lay prone on the storage room floor. He then heard a shot and glass breaking, followed by two more shots. Coward said that he next heard the sound of a round being chambered into the shotgun.

Court records show that as Darryl and Sims walked to the counter area to take money from the register, Williams walked behind Owens, pulled the sawed-off shotgun from under his jacket and told Owens to “shut up and keep walking.” While pointing the shotgun at Owens’ back, Williams directed him to a back storage room and ordered him to lie down. Williams and Coward followed Owens into the store. When Darryl and Sims entered the 7-Eleven, Owens put the broom and dustpan he was using on the hood of his car and followed them into the store. The store clerk, twenty-six year old Albert Lewis Owens, was sweeping the store parking lot.

Transcripts show that next Coward and Sims followed Williams and Darryl to the 7-Eleven market located at 10437 Whittier Boulevard, near Whittier, California. He then told the men that they would find another place to rob, and that they would all go inside so he could demonstrate to them how a robbery was done. Williams reportedly became very unhappy that Darryl and Sims did not follow through on the plan. And then we left.".

Sims then "walked back from the back ‘cause there was somebody in there and just walked out the door and got back the car with, uh, Blackie. Garcia provided and lit one for him. Sims testified that he and Darryl entered the market, after which Sims walked to the back of the store while Darryl approached Garcia and asked for a cigarette. Johnny Garcia, the clerk on duty at the Stop-N-Go at the time, testified that he was just finishing up mopping the floor, and noticed a station wagon, along with four black men standing outside the door of the store.

Darryl was carrying the .22 pistol that Williams had deposited in the station wagon earlier. Darryl and Sims, at the request of Williams, entered the store with the apparent intention of robbing it. Both vehicles exited the freeway in the vicinity of Whittier Boulevard, where they drove to a nearby Stop-N-Go market. Darryl and Williams got into the station wagon, Coward and Sims got into the Cadillac, and shortly thereafter they were on the freeway headed toward Pomona.

Williams then suggested that they should all go to Pomona. Upon returning, Williams had a .22 caliber pistol, which he placed in the station wagon. Afterward, they went to another residence, where Williams left the others for a period of time. The three men then went to the home of Tony Sims, where they discussed where in Pomona, California they could go to make some money.

Williams went into the Garret residence, and in about ten minutes returned with the shotgun. Williams frequently stayed with Garret, and kept some of his personal effects at that location including a 12-gauge shotgun. Coward followed the two in his 1969 Cadillac. A time after the initial meeting, Darryl, driving a brown station wagon and accompanied by Williams, drove to the home of James Garret.

"Blackie", a reference to his African American heritage. Williams introduced Darryl to a friend of his, Alfred Coward, a.k.a. Court transcripts state that [5], Stanley Williams met with a man who is only identified in court documents as "Darryl" late sometime on Tuesday evening, February 27, 1979. Williams always maintained his innocence, though subsequent court reviews concluded that there was no compelling reason to grant a retrial.[4].

Williams was convicted of two separate robbery/murders in 1979. And eventually, we morphed into the monster we were addressing."[3] According to one version, the original name of the gang was the word Cribs from the first name of the gang, the Avenue Babies, and a reference to their youthfulness. But I was totally wrong. Williams said "we started out—at least my intent was to, in a sense—address all of the so-called neighboring gangs in the area and to put, in a sense—I thought I can cleanse the neighborhood of all these, you know, marauding gangs.

According to many of the original members of the gang, it was initially started as a means to keep the streets safe, reducing violence and police brutality. Williams joined Washington in 1971, forming the west side Crips. The eastern side Crips were formed by Raymond "Truck" Washington in 1969. Williams Jr.

[2] People mistakenly believe that "Tookie" was a nickname, but it was in fact his given middle name, which was shared by Williams and his son, Stanley T. Fremont Senior High School, but was expelled and did not graduate. He attended John C. Born to a 17-year-old mother in New Orleans, Louisiana, Williams moved to the impoverished South Central Los Angeles neighborhood when he was 6, where he made a name for himself for being a fighter and a "general" on the streets of South Central's West Side.

. On December 13, 2005, Williams was executed via a botched lethal injection amidst debate over the death penalty and whether his anti-gang advocacy in prison represented genuine atonement. [1] A 2004 biographical feature film entitled Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story featured Jamie Foxx as Williams. He co-wrote children's books and participated in efforts intended to prevent youths from joining gangs.

In 1993, Williams began making changes in his behavior, and became an anti-gang activist while on Death Row in California, Although he continued to refuse to assist police in their gang investigations, he renounced his gang affiliation and apologized for the Crips' founding, while maintaining his innocence of the crimes for which he was convicted. While in prison, Williams refused to aid police investigations with any information against his gang, and was involved in attacks on guards and other inmates as well as multiple escape plots. In December 2005 he was executed for the 1979 murders of Albert Owens, Yen-Yi Yang, Tsai-Shai Lin, and Yee-Chen Lin. Stanley Tookie Williams III (December 29, 1953 – December 13, 2005), was an early leader of the Crips, a notorious American street gang which had its roots in South Central Los Angeles in 1969.

The Nation, (December 14, 2005). "Hypocrisy Trumps Clemency". Tookie's Mistaken Identity: On the Trail of the Real Founder of the Crips. The Peoples' Clemency Hearing Socialist Worker.

State's high court won't spare Williams. Schwarzenegger hears Snoop Dogg's clemency plea. NAACP Steps Up Efforts to Save Stanley Tookie Williams. THE HUTCHINSON REPORT: Why 'Tookie' Williams?.

Retrieved December 8, 2005. October 26, 2005. "Stanley Tookie Williams, Could be First Gang Member Executed in California", Street Gangs Magazine. Alonso, Alex.

Retrieved December 1, 2005. December 1, 2005. "Reformed gang leader awaits death", BBC News. Leithead, Alistair.

Retrieved December 13, 2005. December 13, 2005. "Stanley 'Tookie' Williams Executed", ABC KGO-TV / Associated Press. Redemption : From Original Gangster to Nobel Prize Nominee - The Extraordinary Life Story of Stanley Tookie Williams (Paperback) by Stanley Williams, 2004, (HB) ISBN 1903854342.

Life in Prison by Stanley Tookie Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1998, (PB) ISBN 1587170949, 80 pages, Reading level: Ages 4-8 (royalties donated to the Institute for the Prevention of Youth Violence). Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence.) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) ISBN 1568381379, 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 4-8. Gangs and Your Neighborhood (Williams, Stanley. Tookie Speaks Out Against Gangs.) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) ISBN 156838136, 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 4-8.

Gangs and Your Friends (Williams, Stanley. Gangs and Weapons (Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence) by Stanley Tookie Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) ISBN 1568381328, 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 9-12. Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence.) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) ISBN 156838131X, 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 9-12. Gangs and Wanting to Belong (Williams, Stanley.

Tookie Speaks Out Against Gangs.) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) ISBN 1568381344 (HB} ISBN 0823923452, 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 4-8. Gangs and Violence (Williams, Stanley. Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence.) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, ISBN 1568381301, 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 9-12. Gangs and the Abuse of Power (Williams, Stanley.

Gangs and Self-Esteem: Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence (Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1999, (PB) ISBN 061302690X, 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 4-8. Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence,) by Stanley Williams, Barbara Cottman Becnel, 1997, (PB) ISBN 1568381352, 24 pages, Reading level: Ages 9-12. Gangs and Drugs (Williams, Stanley. Blue Rage, Black Redemption: A Memoir (Paperback) by Stanley Tookie Williams, 2005, (PB) ISBN 0975358405.

In this case, the one thing that would be the clearest indication of complete remorse and full redemption is the one thing Williams will not do.". Without an apology and atonement for these senseless and brutal killings there can be no redemption. "Is Williams’ redemption complete and sincere, or is it just a hollow promise? Stanley Williams insists he is innocent, and that he will not and should not apologize or otherwise atone for the murders of the four victims in this case. "The dedication of Williams' book Life in Prison casts significant doubt on his personal redemption and… the mix of individuals on [the dedication] list is curious" … "but the inclusion of George Jackson on the list defies reason and is a significant indicator that Williams is not reformed.".

From 1995 he "tried to preach a message of gang avoidance and peacemaking" … "It is hard to assess the effect of such efforts in concrete terms, but the continued pervasiveness of gang violence leads one to question the efficacy of Williams' message.". Williams had written books that instruct readers to avoid the gang lifestyle and to stay out of prison. A "close look at his post-arrest and post-conviction conduct tells a story different from redemption.". "Cumulatively, the evidence demonstrating Williams is guilty of these murders is strong and compelling" … "there is no reason to second-guess the jury's decision of guilt.".

The basis of his request for clemency is the "personal redemption Stanley Williams has experienced and the positive impact of the message he sends," yet "it is impossible to separate Williams' claim of innocence from his claim of redemption.". "The possible irregularities in Williams’ trial have been thoroughly and carefully reviewed by the courts, and there is no reason to disturb the judicial decisions that uphold the jury’s decisions that he is guilty of these four murders and should pay with his life.". 15). Exh.

(P. Subsequently, a stabbing instrument ("shank") made of sharpened plastic was recovered from where the fight had occurred. After a warning shot was fired, the fighting stopped. A guard ordered the inmates to stop, but the fight continued.

Williams was one of the combatants. On July 6, 1993, a large fight broke out in the shower area. 14). Exh.

(P. After the shot was fired, guards gained control over Williams. Eventually, gun officers responded by firing a round near Williams. Once again, despite being ordered to stop, Williams continued with the assault.

On December 24, 1991, Williams was involved in another fight with an inmate. 13). Exh. (P.

On October 19, 1988, Williams was placed in Administrative Segregation based on his association with the Crips street gang. 13). Exh. (P.

Prison officials subsequently learned that this stabbing was done in retaliation for a September 22, 1988 stabbing of another inmate ordered by Williams. On October 10, 1988, Williams was involved in a fight that led to him being stabbed by Tiequon Aundray Cox (aka Lil Fee), a Rolling 60s Crips member, and fellow death row inmate. 12). Exh.

(P. Eventually, after gun officers responded, Williams stopped the attack. The guard ordered Williams to stop but Williams continued with the assault. On July 4, 1986, Williams stepped between a guard and another inmate and began to beat up the inmate.

11). Exh. I have dusted many officers on the street, one more would not make any difference." (P. When the guard advised the female of the prison policies, Williams became verbally hostile and stated, "you are looking around too much and that's not your job.

On June 8, 1984, Williams was observed participating in inappropriate behavior with a female visitor. 10). Exh. (P.

Only after a guard fired a warning shot did Williams stop fighting. Williams, however, continued to fight. In an effort to stop the attack, the guard blew his whistle and drew his weapon. On February 16, 1984, a guard saw Williams bending over another inmate and striking him with his closed fists.

9). Exh. (P. On January 29, 1982, Williams again attacked a guard by throwing a chemical substance on him.

8). Exh. (P. As a result of that assault, the guard suffered from chemical burns to these areas and had to be taken to the hospital where he received emergency care.

In one of these instances, Williams threw a chemical substance in the eyes and on the face of a guard. On January 28, 1982, Williams had two separate instances where he threw chemical substances at guards. 7). Exh.

Williams responded by saying "you'll get yours boy, I can do anything now because I know what the gunmen will do…one of these days I'll trick you boy." (P. The guard then explained the line-up procedure to Williams. Williams refused the order and became hostile. On January 26, 1982, Williams was ordered to lineup for his return to his cell.

6). Exh. (P. Only after repeated orders did Williams stop.

When Williams was ordered to cease fighting, he ignored the order. Williams was observed kneeling over the other inmate and striking him in the head with his closed fists. On June 30, 1981, just two months after being sentenced, Williams was involved in a violent fight with another inmate.