Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 10, 2006 22:19:04 GMT -5
Son of executed Crips founder Tookie Williams fights father's will
The son of Stanley Tookie Williams is contesting his father's will,
claiming it was signed 2 days before his execution at San Quentin State
Prison and its beneficiary probably had a hand in its creation.
Travon Williams, 33, says the executor of his father's estate was a
business partner who had the will drafted and says it should be ruled
invalid.
It was unclear what the estate may be worth, although Tookie Williams
wrote children's books denouncing gang violence that prompted four Nobel
Prize nominations.
The executor, Barbara Becnel, 56, of Richmond is the sole beneficiary and
filed a petition last spring in Marin Superior Court to begin probate
proceedings.
Travon Williams this week filed an objection to the petition, saying the
will does not reflect his father's true intentions and that he had not
discussed alternatives to the document he signed.
Becnel said Friday she will fight Travon Williams' efforts to undermine
his father's will and desires.
Travon Williams says errors made in producing the will are grounds to have
it set aside. He notes that Becnel became a business partner with Tookie
Williams in the mid-1990s as a co-author and editor of his books.
"Since that time, petitioner has profited from her relationship with
Tookie, both economically and professionally, due to the publicity she has
received being associated with Tookie," the document reads.
Becnel said Travon Williams never publicly supported saving his father's
life. "Now he is willing to publicly dishonor the wishes and intelligence
of Stanley Tookie Williams for his own financial gain," Becnel said.
"That's very, very disappointing to me."
Becnel said the accusations are false and that she had nothing to do with
the drafting of the will.
"I stood by Stan's side for 13 years, fighting to support his work, his
innocence and his life," Becnel said. "I will continue to fight, this time
to support his honor, his legacy and his desires."
Becnel's attorney, Melvin Honowitz, said the objection to the petition for
probate is ludicrous.
"It is not founded in reality," Honowitz said. "Our client will take all
appropriate legal action to expeditiously resolve this matter, which will
confirm the late Stanley Williams' true intentions as reflected in his
last will and testament."
Tookie Williams was a founder of the Crips street gang in South Central
Los Angeles. He was convicted of 4 murders in 1981 and sentenced to death.
He was a rebellious prisoner until he turned his life around in the 1990s,
denouncing gangs and writing children's books to advocate alternatives to
street crime.
He was nominated 4 years in a row for the Nobel Peace Prize, beginning in
2001. He was executed Dec. 13, 2005, despite calls for clemency by
anti-death penalty advocates and a campaign based on his redemption that
was spearheaded by Becnel.
In his objection to the petition for probate, Travon Williams said his
father is survived by his mother, two sons, a sister and grandchildren. He
said he had a strong, loving relationship with his father.
Travon Williams, who lives in the Los Angeles area, said his father feared
for his family's safety and tried to keep them out of the public eye.
He says the attorney who drafted the will did not know the names of
Stanley Williams' children and never spoke with him before preparing the
will.
Stacie Nelson, Travon Williams' attorney, said she does not know the value
of Stanley Williams' estate.
"The executor has possession of Mr. Williams' assets," Nelson said.
A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Monday.
(source: Marin Independent Journal)
The son of Stanley Tookie Williams is contesting his father's will,
claiming it was signed 2 days before his execution at San Quentin State
Prison and its beneficiary probably had a hand in its creation.
Travon Williams, 33, says the executor of his father's estate was a
business partner who had the will drafted and says it should be ruled
invalid.
It was unclear what the estate may be worth, although Tookie Williams
wrote children's books denouncing gang violence that prompted four Nobel
Prize nominations.
The executor, Barbara Becnel, 56, of Richmond is the sole beneficiary and
filed a petition last spring in Marin Superior Court to begin probate
proceedings.
Travon Williams this week filed an objection to the petition, saying the
will does not reflect his father's true intentions and that he had not
discussed alternatives to the document he signed.
Becnel said Friday she will fight Travon Williams' efforts to undermine
his father's will and desires.
Travon Williams says errors made in producing the will are grounds to have
it set aside. He notes that Becnel became a business partner with Tookie
Williams in the mid-1990s as a co-author and editor of his books.
"Since that time, petitioner has profited from her relationship with
Tookie, both economically and professionally, due to the publicity she has
received being associated with Tookie," the document reads.
Becnel said Travon Williams never publicly supported saving his father's
life. "Now he is willing to publicly dishonor the wishes and intelligence
of Stanley Tookie Williams for his own financial gain," Becnel said.
"That's very, very disappointing to me."
Becnel said the accusations are false and that she had nothing to do with
the drafting of the will.
"I stood by Stan's side for 13 years, fighting to support his work, his
innocence and his life," Becnel said. "I will continue to fight, this time
to support his honor, his legacy and his desires."
Becnel's attorney, Melvin Honowitz, said the objection to the petition for
probate is ludicrous.
"It is not founded in reality," Honowitz said. "Our client will take all
appropriate legal action to expeditiously resolve this matter, which will
confirm the late Stanley Williams' true intentions as reflected in his
last will and testament."
Tookie Williams was a founder of the Crips street gang in South Central
Los Angeles. He was convicted of 4 murders in 1981 and sentenced to death.
He was a rebellious prisoner until he turned his life around in the 1990s,
denouncing gangs and writing children's books to advocate alternatives to
street crime.
He was nominated 4 years in a row for the Nobel Peace Prize, beginning in
2001. He was executed Dec. 13, 2005, despite calls for clemency by
anti-death penalty advocates and a campaign based on his redemption that
was spearheaded by Becnel.
In his objection to the petition for probate, Travon Williams said his
father is survived by his mother, two sons, a sister and grandchildren. He
said he had a strong, loving relationship with his father.
Travon Williams, who lives in the Los Angeles area, said his father feared
for his family's safety and tried to keep them out of the public eye.
He says the attorney who drafted the will did not know the names of
Stanley Williams' children and never spoke with him before preparing the
will.
Stacie Nelson, Travon Williams' attorney, said she does not know the value
of Stanley Williams' estate.
"The executor has possession of Mr. Williams' assets," Nelson said.
A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Monday.
(source: Marin Independent Journal)