Tookie Williams was the co-founder and first president of the Crips, one of the most notorious American organized crime groups. He was also a key figure in the Los Angeles gang scene during the 1970s and 1980s. Tookie Williams was a complicated figure and his reputation has often been the subject of controversy. He has been praised for his efforts to turn away from violence and to use his influence to promote non-violence, but he has also been criticized for his crimes, his role in the formation and leadership of the Crips, a gang that has been associated with numerous acts of violence.