Arnie 'a cold-blooded murderer'
2005-12-13 18:49
Los Angeles - Barbara Becnel, a staunch supporter of executed murderer Stanley "Tookie" Williams, pledged on Tuesday that his supporters would not give up their fight to prove his innocence.
Becnel told CNN that they are going to show that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was, in fact, himself a cold-blooded murderer.
Schwarzenegger turned down Williams's clemency bid on Monday.
Three of Williams's supporters shouted that the state of California killed an innocent man as they exited the gallery after his death.
Reporters said at least one of the three had given Williams a raised fist salute.
However, Lora Owens, the stepmom of one of Williams's victims, said she and her family could begin to find peace after his execution, ABC reports.
Owens' stepson, Albert, died from gunshot wounds fired by Williams. Owens was the father of two daughters.
She watched as the 51-year-old Williams was put to death by lethal injection at San Quentin prison in California.
Lora Owens was a vocal opponent to the clemency pleas made by some celebrities, including actor Jamie Foxx and rapper Snoop Dogg, and anti-death penalty activists.
She was among about 50 people who witnessed Williams' execution. It took 36 minutes, and the executioners reportedly seemed to have had difficulty finding Williams's veins.
Even Owens said she had trouble watching the convicted killer turned peace activist and children's author die.
Williams, 51, was found guilty in 1981 of four murders, those of Albert Owens, a convenience store clerk and a family of Chinese immigrants.
He had admitted being a founder of the brutal Crips gang that terrorised Los Angeles at the time but denied the killings.
While on death row he renounced his violent past and wrote acclaimed books to try to persuade youths not to join gangs.