06 December 2005 :

Secretary of Hands Off Cain Sergio D’Elia delivered to Italy’s President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi the appeal signed by Italy’s Parliamentarians and Regional Presidents to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for the suspension of the scheduled execution of Stanley ‘Tookie’ Williams due to take place on December 13.
 
“We ask that you dedicate a moment of your time to Stanely ‘Tookie’ Williams, sentenced to death in California in 1981 for the murder of four people during two separate armed robberies, whose execution is scheduled to take place in San Quintino penitentiary on December 13,” stated D’Elia in a letter addressed to President Ciampi together with the appeal.
“In spite of maintaining himself innocent of the crimes, ‘Tookie’ has assumed his responsibilities as founder of the Crips gang in Los Angeles in the early seventies and has asked forgiveness for the actions committed by the gang.
“During 25 years imprisonment he has shed himself of his past to the point of becoming an example for the youths who want to put their criminal ways behind them. He has also penned several books on the subject which have earned him nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and a film has been made about his life (‘Redemption’) starring Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx,” D’Elia added.   
“Williams’ story is emblematic of a very simple fact which compels us to say ‘no’ to the death penalty in all cases. The truth is that the man being punished is different from the man who committed the crime. For this reason we believe that if justice wants be even handed and not ruthless it should take into account such differences: the renewed innocence of a person, whether guilty or not of the crime, but surely different from the time of the crime. 
“We entrust you with the appeal and the signatures collected up to now. We would be happy and honoured if, by sharing in its humanitarian spirit, you would adopt it as your own and take it upon you, as the highest representative of the nation, to send it to the Governor of California”.
 
Sergio D’Elia
Secretary of Hands Off Cain