The memorial / funeral service for Stanley Tookie Williams was held today at Bethel AME Church located at 7900 South Western Avenue in Los Angeles. The service started at 12 noon. The service was open to the public, but seating was limited. The service included large TV screens outside the church.

Today’s memorial service for Stanley Tookie Williams lll was well attended.

Some notables in attendance were Rev. Jesse Jackson, hip-hop rapper Snoop Dogg hip-hop/ R&B artist and actor Jamie Foxx, and Nation of Islam leader the Honorable Minister Louis Farakkhan.

Stanley Tookie Williams will now be taken to South Africa accompanied by his family and close friends where he will be cremated and his ashes scattered in South Africa.

Stanley Tookie Williams III, who was born December 29, 1953 and was executed December 13th, 2005 by the state of California at 51 years old.

Many rallies and protests were held by and or attended by hip-hop grass roots activist, many influential hip-hop and rap artists, religious leaders, politicians, Hollywood notables, death penalty opponents and many from every walk of life, but the peoples pleas for clemency fell on deaf ears.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger never did take the thought of clemency for Stanley Tookie Williams seriously, many believe because of his past.

Stanley Tookie Williams III was the co-founder, along with Raymond Washington, of the widely-known Crips street gangs in Los Angeles, California. The east side Crips were formed by Raymond "Truck" Washington in 1969. Stanley Tookie Williams joined Washington in 1971, forming the west side Crips.

Many people sometimes mistakenly believe that "Tookie" is a gang nickname, but in fact it was his middle name, shared by Stanley Williams and his father, Stanley T. Williams Jr.

Last night (Monday night Dec. 19^th) mourners filed past Stanley’s open casket in a six hour viewing, as LA police officers kept a watchful eye on the mortuary from across the street.

The co-founder of the LA west side Crips lay in repose, as hundreds passed thru to pay their respects to the man Stanley Tookie Williams.

Dressed in a grey suit and finally free and at peace, the more than 2000 mourners of all ages gathered at the House of Winston Mortuary on South Vermont Avenue at 95th Street to give Stanley Williams his last respects from his old neighborhood.

Many of the viewers were clad in Crip Blue and things were a little tense when members of traditional Crips rivals, The Bloods, showed up and took their place in line to show their respects.

At least now Stanley Tookie Williams is free and at peace. R.I.P. Stanley Tookie Williams lll.