Freedom, Peace, Humanity....
Let's quote Wikipedia:
" On December 13, 2005, Williams was executed by lethal injection after clemency and a four-week stay of execution were both rejected by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, amid debate over the death penalty. Williams was the second inmate in California to be executed in 2005. "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Williams
Usually, we call this Hypocrisy.
There are other situations where I think using deadly force is justified. Defending a country under military attack is one of these situations.
The reason I posted that is that I don't think belief in the greater good is enough. Believing in the greater good brought us the holocaust, for example. It is simply not enough of a reason to kill people.
Please do more historical research. The Holocaust was not caused by seeking the greater good, but instead the greater evil. It was caused when massive numbers of people decided that rule by terror was not worth resisting as long as it did not touch them.
Now if he came out against death penalty at some point and then reversed his stance, your accusation of hypocrisy would be accurate.
Edit: I was wrong about what hypocrisy meant - please see humanrebar's reply below.
No, changing your mind isn't hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is saying the rules don't apply to you somehow. If he executed someone with no trial and said it didn't count because it was somehow for the greater good, he would be a hypocrite.
If we don't leave people room to change their minds, we don't leave them room to grow. I'd rather be in a world where people learn lessons.
The Wikipedia article says this guy was one of the leaders of the Westside Crips; I don't feel sorry for him and can see why he wasn't granted clemency. I don't agree with the death penalty but it doesn't invalidate the sentiment in the article.