Letters To The Editor
LAW AND JUSTICE
Cause a death no big deal
On Sept. 21, 1996, my best friend, Kelly Wright, was killed in a car accident while turning into my driveway, off of the highway. The man who hit her left the scene of the accident.
On March 18, I went to watch his trial but he had been released the night before. They decided to let him go because he had changed his plea to guilty. He was released because, they say, he served his time, which wasn’t even a full six months. Also, he was supposed to be serving 90 days for a DUI that was already pending.
If any judges would have really looked at his record, they would have found that he has had several DUIs and served three years in prison in Arizona for a traffic-related incident.
What has happened to justice in this country? How important is a human life to society? He isn’t going to serve any time for leaving the accident, which I thought was a crime. By letting him go, they are telling him and the rest of America that it’s OK to get in an accident, kill someone and run away (literally) and not pay any consequences.
I thought that in America people who commit a crime would get what they deserve. Boy, was I ever wrong! Because of this, I am a teenager who has lost all faith in this so-called American justice system. Sarah Cutler Post Falls
Justice defied, maybe even justice denied
Something is seriously wrong with our judicial system. Already the ground work is being laid for a mistrial, or no trial at all, because of media coverage over the Oklahoma City bombing.
I remember President Clinton’s remarks, in which he stated that a speedy trial would be forthcoming after the apprehension of a suspect. If the defense has its way, Timothy McVeigh will not come to trial at all. If this is how our judicial system is designed to work, something should be done.
I’m sure that when our forefathers designed the Constitution to ensure people’s rights, victims were included. It’s unfortunate that this aspect of the Constitution is being totally neglected.
I wonder if it’s because victims may be in no position to pay legal fees. James A. Nelson Spokane
Courtroom door should be open
I find it strange that an institution that so quickly defends its Constitutional rights in a courtroom (i.e. the right to the First Amendment) would seek to deny private citizens a right to enter the courtroom equally.
The Constitutional drafters envisioned our justice system in an attempt to provide open access to private citizens (not institutions such as newspapers), and allow them as much of an opportunity to seek redress as a newspaper or government. Mike A. Maurer Spokane
Cut down on prisoner commutes
Why don’t we just set up a courtroom at the prison. That way, we would not have to transfer any prisoners. Most of the cases are only preliminary hearings. Any case coming up for trial could be sent to the regular courthouse. Harry Swift Chewelah, Wash.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Incident reveals need for change
Police officers are leaders, directors and role models. Assistant Police Chief David Peffer, as of two years ago, could not possibly be a role model for junior officers or the public.
As for Peffer hiding his problem from his friends and colleagues for two years, I don’t buy it. If this is truly the case, he should give up his police career and become an actor.
I have supported Police Chief Terry Mangan and looked up to him as an excellent chief. But as of March 16, it appears to me he doesn’t take driving when drunk as a very serious crime.
I lost my daughter in an alcohol-related accident one year ago. These senseless deaths will continue as long as the police don’t treat drinking and driving at the zero-tolerance level - and three strikes, you’re out.
Mangan, by allowing an official car to transport a drunk driver home (strike one), not booking him into city jail (strike two) and allowing this to go on for two years (strike three) - it’s time to start looking from a responsible police chief and assistant. Jack Role Spokane
FIREARMS
Anti-gunners having a field day
In some large American cities it has been a veritable nightmare to purchase a handgun. Prospective buyers have had to endure months of waiting, red tape, permits, outrageous fees, character references, background checks, fingerprinting and photos.
Why? It’s a form of back-door gun control. Harass, impede and discourage the gun buyer until he or she finally gives up. Naturally, criminals are exempt.
Now, liberal Democrats, who own and operate Washington state, have joined the harassment crowd by demanding that handgun purchasers take an eight-hour safety class before they can buy a handgun. It will save the lives of children, they say.
Odd - aren’t these the same liberals who have turned Washington state into an abortionist’s paradise, killing thousands of unborn children? Go figure.
The National Safety Council, not Seattle propagandists, reports that firearm accidents are at an all-time low: 0.5 per 100,000 population. Since 1930, the number of firearms has quadrupled, while gun accidents have been cut in half.
Among children under 14, firearm accidents show a 64 percent decrease. Indeed, bicycles may be more deadly to kids.
But liberals tend to disregard facts. Instead, they’ll resort to misinformation, emotionalism, distortion and exaggeration, along with bogus statistics, to implement their ultimate goal of disarming the populace.
We can really save lives, foil the gun-ban mob and save Washington state taxpayers untold thousands by letting the National Rifle Association present its excellent gun safety programs, for free, to our communities and schools. Curtis E. Stone Colville, Wash.
Argument wrong, whatever it was
David Wordinger (Golden Pen, March 17) wants to control bats because they can injure you. While he was worrying about this relatively mild assault weapon, two thugs in Los Angeles, in body armor and firing heavy assault weapons, outgunned the Los Angeles Police Department.
Or perhaps Wordinger expects citizens with weapons concealed under their coats to shoot it out with these robbers instead of having strict gun control laws that might make it more difficult for criminals to get hold of their arsenal. Walter A. Becker Pullman
Editor’s note
Golden Pen-winner Wordinger in fact used bat control facetiously, in an effort to point up what he sees as the foolishness in regulation fostered by the anti-gun movement.
OTHER TOPICS
Why should STA get free ride?
Eugene La Liberte (Letters, March 16) thinks Spokane Transit Authority shouldn’t be asked to provide funds for street repairs.
La Liberte asks why commercial and utility trucks shouldn’t help bear these costs and infers they do not do so now. He must not have done any research before making his statement. Utility companies pay high tonnage and license fees for their large vehicles plus huge property taxes. Commercial delivery vehicles pay these also, plus all the levied fuel taxes. Fuel taxes are high for them because of their vehicles’ low fuel mileage.(I assume STA buses are exempt from all fuel taxes).
The city allows STA to spend money as it chooses (see “$10,000 trip to D.C.”, Region, Dec. 18), giving it a blank check to spend revenues from sales and excise taxes, etc. There appears to be no control over STA Executive Director Allen Schweim.
One thing all Washington state drivers should realize is that by using a simple calculation of the fuel tax, passenger car drivers pay more than one cent per mile fuel tax. Entities that create more-than-average road wear and tear should also share in the cost of road use. Bud Shaw Davenport, Wash.
McCaslin deaf to Symphony’s worth
Congratulations to the Spokane County commissioners for honoring the commitment to provide $17,000 to the Spokane Symphony, especially to John Roskelley, who never wavered in the first place. It’s apparent Commissioners Phil Harris and Kate McCaslin don’t hear the music very well.
Most responsible Spokane citizens understand the great treasure Spokane has in its symphony.
Boo to McCaslin for her pouty statement in the newspaper that the county must get a good return on its investment if the symphony wants money again next year.
Listen to the music, McCaslin! It would be the best money you ever spent. John P. Rodkey Spokane
Get facts on animals, product testing
Easter is on its way and store shelves are stocked with cuddly stuffed bunny rabbits. However, on March 29, Easter bunnies of another sort will unite to protest Procter & Gamble’s needless use of animals for testing consumer and household products: Global Day of Action Against P&G. More than 60 Global Day events will take place in the U.S. and abroad.
From 1985 through 1994, an estimated 500,000 animals died at the hands of Procter & Gamble’s “scientists.” Toxic chemicals are force-fed to fully conscious rabbits, dripped into their eyes or placed on their shaven and raw skin. The animals are not sedated or given painkillers. Laboratory workers place the animals in restraining devices so they cannot struggle while the chemicals are applied.
P&G’s animal tests are not required by any regulatory agency. There are more than 550 companies that manufacture consumer and household products comparable to Procter & Gamble’s without testing on animals.
Please boycott companies that test products unnecessarily on animals. For a list of companies that do and don’t test, call In Defense of Animals, (415) 388-9641. Don’t finance animal suffering - buy cruelty-free. Anne Groeschel Spokane