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3A NEWS/Ote Ctsrlatte Soil Thursday, December 15, 2005 Under fire, Sharpton delays ads By Hazel Trice Edney NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBUSHFJiS ASSOCIATION WASHINGTON - In the face of mounting criticism over a plan to do television commercials for a car title company that charges inter est rates of 300 percent, A1 Sharpton says he has now placed his plans on hold until he can obtain more financial data fiom the firm. “We’re putting everything on hold in terms of this national tour and advertising Sharpton and marketing. We put it ofiT until he gets me this data,” Sharpton says in an inter view, referring to an agree ment he has been doing for LoanMax. “Out of respect to him. I’m giving him time to show me. But, if he doesn’t have it, then I’m definitely going to tell the world that he had time and he didn’t' come through with nothing. ... If he’s got the facts, then I will make the suspension permanent.” Keith Corbett, senior vice president of the Durham, N.C.-based Center for Responsible Lending, a non profit think tank, told Sharpton in a letter that his commercial airing during prime-time morning news shows in the Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland areas were deeply disap pointing. “Over the last few years you have been instrumental in the fight to end predatory lending. Specifically; you lent your voice to stopping preda tory lending in North Carolina by urging our Black Caucus leaders to work to put an end to these abusive practices within our state.” Corbett writes, “Therefore, I was surprised to hear that you are a spokesperson for car title loans...Car title loans are just as abusive as Debate over Tookie continues Continued from page 1A 51, was killed by lethal injection at 12:35 a.m., Pacific time. A crowd estimated at 1,000 to 2,500 stood vigil outside of the prison as Williams made the short walk fix)m a nearby holding cdl for a somber, highly-publicized event that took 36 minutes and 15 seconds. According to news accounts, there was a 12- minute delay because the execution team had difficulty finding a vein in Williams’ left arm. At one point, WUiams winced, lifted his head fix)m the gurney and appeared to say, “Still can’t find it?’ witnesses said There were 39 witnesses, including victims’ relatives, Williams’ lawyers and supporters and journalists. Lora Owens, the stepmother of one of the murdered victims, Albert Owens, appeared shaken by the execution and at one point was comforted by another woman, witnesses said Before leaving for San Quentin to witness the execution, she told CNN: ‘Tm just ^ad that we’re almost to the end of this. I’m ^ad that finally Albert is going to have the justice he deserves.” Williams’ supporters blew kisses at him and said‘T love you” as Wiliams faced his impend- • ing death Prison officials said Wiliams spent " his last day reading mail fit)m around the world and watching TV He rejected the tradition last meal before his execution. Wiliams died still denying that he had murdered four pec^le. He was convicted of killing Albert L. Owens, 26, a clerk at a 7-Eleven store on Feb. 28,1979. He was »nvicted of killing Yen-I Yang, 76; his wife, T^ai-Shai Yang, 63, and their dau^ter, Yee-Chen Lin, 43, during a motel robbery ih south Los Angeles on March 11,1979. A total of $220 was taken in both robberies. A jury in Tbrrance, Calif, convicted Wiliams of murder in 1981, leading to his capital pun ishment sentence. By 1992, Williams said he had changed and regretted his gangster past. He issued an open apology for his actions on April 13, 1997, a copy of which appears on his Web site, www.tookie.com. “T\venty-five years ago when I created the Crips youth gang with Raymond Lee Washington in South Central Los Angeles, I never imagined Crips membership would one day , spread throughout California, would spread to much of the rest of the nation and to cities in South Afiica, where Crips copycat gangs have formed I also didn’t expect the Crips end up ruining the lives of so many young people, especially yoxmg black men who have hurt other young black men Raymond was murdered in 1979. But if he were h^, I believe he would be as troubled as I am by the Crips legacy” Wiliams continued, “So today I apologize to you all — the children of America and South Afiica - who must cope every day with danger ous street gangs. I no longer participate in the so-called gangster lifestyle, and I deeply regret that I ever did” The former gang leader wrote a series of chil dren’s books with Barbara Becnel, urging young people to stay away fix)m drugs, and bro kered gang truces in Los Angeles and New Jersey Wiliams' life was the subject of a movie, “Redemption,” starring Jamie Foxx. On death row, Wiliams became a cause cele- bre, attracting supporters as diverse as South Afiican Bishop Desmond TUtu and rapper Snoop Dogg as well as Jesse Jackson and NAACP President Bruce Gordon Eariier Monday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzene^er issued a stron^y-worded 5-page statement rgecting Wl]iams'’request for clemency “During the eariy morning hours of Fdoruary 28, 1979, Wiliams and three others went on a robbery spree,” Schwarzenegger stated. “Around 4 am., they entered a 7-ElevCTi store where Albert Owens was working by himsf^lf Here, Wiliams, armed with his pump-action shotgun ordered Owens to a backroom and shot him twice in the back while he lay face down on the floor. WUliams and his accconplices made off with about $120 fiom the store’s cash register After leaving the 7-Eleyen store, Wiliams told the others that he killed Albert Owens because he did not want any witnesses. Later that morning, WiUiams recounted shoot ing Albert Owens, saying ‘You should have heard the way he sounded when I shot him.” Wiliams then made a growling noise and laugjied for five to six minutes.i The governor continued: “On March 11,1979, less than two weeks late; Williams, again armed with his shotgun, robbed a family-oper ated motel and shot and killed three members of the family (1) the father, Yen-I Yang, who was shot once in the torso and once in the arm while he was laying on a sofa; (2) the mother, Tbai-Shai Lin, who was shot once in the abdomen and once in the back; and (3) the dau^te, Yee-Chen Lin, who was shot once in her face. For these murders, Williams made away with approximately $100 in cash. Williams also told othera about the details of these murders and referred to the victims as Buddha-heads.”’ Schwarzenegger noted that over the 24 years that Wiliams had been on death row, his claims about an unfair trial had been “thoroughly reviewed” by state and federal courts. “Based on the cumulative weight of the evi dence, there is no reason to second guess the jury’s decision of guilt or raise significant doubts or serious reservations about Williams' convictions and death senteice,” he wrote. The governor questioned the effectiveness of Wiliams' anti-gang efforts. ‘Williams has written books that instruct readers to avoid the gang lifestjde and to stay out of prison,” he noted “In 1996, a Tbokie Speaks Out Against Gang "Sfiolence children’s book series was published. In 1998, ‘life in Prison’ was published. In 2004, Williams pub lished a memoir entitled Blue Rage, Black Redemption.’ He also recently (since 1995) tried to preach a message of gang avoidance and peacemaking, including a protocol for street peace to be used by opposing gangs. “It’s hard to assess the effect of such efforts in concrete terns, but the continued pervasive ness of gang violence leads one to question the efficacy of WTUiams' message. Wiliams co founded the Crips, a notorious gang that has contributed and continues to contribute to predatory and exploitative violence.” ' Finally, Schwarzenegger turned to the issue of redemption “Is Wiliams' redemption complete and sin cere, or is it just a hollow promise?’ Schwarzenegger asked. “Stanley WTUiams 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. Wthout an apology atonement for these sense less and brutal killings there can be no redemp tion In this case, the one thing that would be the clearest indication of complete remorse and full redemption is the one thing \Wlliams will not do.” When Williams' lawyers made a second appeal to the governor late Monday night, he also rejected that plea. At a news conference Monday, Jonathan Harris, one of Williams' lawyers, said “Our petition for clemency was based on Stanley Williams' personal redemption, his good works and positive impact that thc«e woiks have had on thousands and thousands of kids across this country and on Wlliama* ability to continue to do those good works going forwardi He added, “I have spent many hours with Stanley Wiliams and I refuse to accept that Stanley Wiliams’ redemption is not genuine.! Wiliams, among the 651 people on death row, became the 12th person executed since California reinstated the death penalty in 1978. Authorities said one of his sons, Stanley WUiams Jr, who is serving a 16-year murder sentence in High Desert State Prison in California, was notified of his father’s death. Fred Jackson, who works with Internet Project for Street Peace, Williams’ gang inte- vention prefect, said Wiliams spoke with an Oakland si^iport group Sunday, According to Jackson, “He said he doesn’t fear death — he doesn’t fear what he does not know.” Food tops wish lists for the holidays Continued from page 1A turkeys that went to Second Harvest, Community Food Resepe and Loaves and Fishes. Drives are being held across the Chariotte area, including Food Lion stores, where food boxes are available for $4.99 donation to Second Harvest and Lowes Foods at Concord Mills’ Giving Thee through Jan 2. The tree will be on display until then, when the 15,000 pounds of food used to create it will be donat ed The Giving Tbee program aims to collect 650,000 pounds of focxl for N.C. food banks and member agencies during the holidays payday loans in that they charge triple digit interest rates and trap them in a cycle of debt Moreover, title lenders structure their loans to evade state usury or small loan rate caps, and they are over-secured.” Corbett continues, ‘Tbday we have access to credit, but the “terms” are abusive and discriminatory Like we ral lied with Rosa Parks, all Black people need to come together to end these prac tices.” In the corrunercial, Sharpton stands on a stage by a podium and a United States flag as if he’s still run ning for president. 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