Now that Tookie Williams has been executed, there is great concern among anti-death penalty advocates over who is next in line. Turns out to be a 75-year-old blind diabetic — who was convicted of ordering the shotgun killing of three unfriendly witnesses 25 years ago. The story in today’s Sacramento Bee about him and others on deck bears a creepy resemblance to stories that handicap the chances of likely candidates to fill a vacancy on the high court and analyze the political calculations that are likely to influence the chief executive in reaching a final decision. We’re all postmodern now, which isn’t a bad way to avoid serious thinking about murder and retribution.
