By Karl Fischer, Danielle Samaniego and Sandy Kleffman

CONTRA COSTA TIMES

SAN QUENTIN - As the execution of Stanley Tookie Williams was announced early this morning, the crowd of nearly 2,000 at the prison gates stood in stunned silence for a few moments, then erupted in chants.

"Death row, hell no" and "No justice, no peace," many shouted. The Rev. Charles Newsome, president of the Richmond chapter of the NAACP, walked through the gathering with a megaphone calling for activism, but not violence. "I'm tired of my people dying," he said. "It's time to do something about it. We talk, but we keep dying. They want us to keep talking. It's time to do something."

The execution prompted strong emotion among many in the crowd. "We had a man that was the epitome of redemption and we sent the wrong message tonight," said the Rev. Andre Shumake, director of the Richmond Improvement Association. " . . . God help us here in California." Podium speakers urged the crowd to carry on Williams' work and continue to strive for peace in troubled neighborhoods.

While most people remained peaceful, a small group burned an American flag. A few wept. For hours, the crowd braved the chilly night air with lit candles, drums and large signs. Some read excepts from his books. A minister said a prayer, then the crowd began to sing "We Shall Overcome" and other songs. The gathering included people of all races and ages, including young children.

"I feel like if his redemption can't be recognized, then no one's can, and I think we can do better than this," said a weeping Laura Teutschel of San Carlos, who held a white candle. For hours, the crowd kept an emotional vigil for condemned killer Stanley "Tookie" Williams.

While a handful of death penalty supporters showed up, most vigorously opposed Williams' death. Some compared him to Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela or slain rapper Tupac Shakur. The co-founder of the Crips gang deserved to live, they said, because of his peace activism behind bars, including his books encouraging young people to reject the gang lifestyle.

It was the biggest gathering at San Quentin since California reinstituted the death penalty with the execution of Robert Alton Harris in 1992. Jamie Kelly of Corte Madera kept watch with her 7-year-old son.

"We've come here tonight to support Tookie," she said. "If it's not OK for my son to hit someone at school, how is it OK for the state of California to kill people?"

North Richmond resident Fred Jackson said he first met Williams in 1998. He visited with him again a few hours before his death. Jackson said he was stunned by how calm Williams seemed. "Whatever happens, he's ready to go," Jackson said. "He's done great works and his works will never die. "This man came from the ghetto to death row and he has lifted himself up, not by his bootstraps but by his handcuffs, to show us what a man can do with his brain."

The crowd included celebrities such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson, singer Joan Baez and actor Mike Farrell of "MASH" TV fame. Jackson also visited with Williams a few hours before his scheduled execution. He said the convicted killer encouraged his supporters to remain calm upon his death. "The last thing we need tonight is for people feeling pain, feeling let down, to recycle that pain as street frustration," Jackson said.

Like many others in the crowd, Jackson said he was upset by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's decision to not to grant clemency. "Clemency is not based on guilt or innocence," Jackson said. "Clemency is based upon redemption and it's based upon grace and he's earned that by the virtue of his work. ... He'll be martyred as a force for good."

Although they were greatly outnumbered, a few people supported the execution. Earlier in the afternoon, John Zigler, a talk-show host with radio station KFI in Los Angeles, asked crowd members if they could name a single one of Williams' victims.

Rudy Thered, a 36-year-old Sacramento resident, carried photos of three of the four people killed by Williams. "I represent the people who have to work tonight, the real people of California," Thered said. "The victims lose their personality and the accused is given time to establish one." The gathering included Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View, who has introduced a bill that would impose a moratorium on executions while the Legislature considers the fairness of the California judicial system.

"I'm not here to address the redemption of Stanley Williams," Lieber told the crowd. "I'm here to talk about how Arnold Schwarzenegger can redeem himself. The first thing he can do is stop the executions during this holiday season."

Baez sang the spiritual "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."

"Tonight, we will witness a planned, efficient, calculating, antiseptic, cold-blooded murder," she said. "I think everyone here is here to try and lift the morality and soul of the people in this country."

Staff writer Joyce Tsai contributed to this story.