Tookie has been punished. What do you call nearly 25 years in San Quentin, with much of that time in solidary confinement? If you are correct and Big Took did confess to "killing at least 6" then I for sure would rather see him spend a life of community service, working on gang intervention and mentoring young Brothers to choose another way. As brother Isaiah stated, I also am against the death penalty for moral grounds. Black men in amerikkka are in a state of perpetual war. I wonder how many people who are quick to condemn this brother, and he is our brother, have actually lived in conditions where gang violence is all around you. Tookie has written about the conditions which led to the formation of the CRIPS. In the movie "Redemption" this is explained as well. There were gangs before the CRIPS....Slausons, Businessmen, Gladiators, Bishop, Outlaws and Aves, to name a few. What people dont realize is that every one who is a CRIPS founder has given testimony concerning their founding being an effort to "protect our communities". Just like the Panthers, police infiltrated and set eastside against westside and the danger in the CRIPS was that Big Took and Ray-Ray brought these two sides together. The police targeted these brothers just like they targeted the Panthers. Their response to the system was "CRIPS don't die, we multiply". I don't condone gang violence or drug peddling. At the same time, having been there, what would any of you folks do if a group of folks rolled into your neighborhoods and started muscling old folks out of their homes and started peddling on your blocks. What if they started jacking your kids of their lunch money on their way to school, and jacked them of their shoes and clothes on their way home? Would you arm yourselves and retaliate? Think about it!