I was appalled that a former investigative reporter would publish a letter (Sept. 18) slamming Assistant City Attorney Rocco Treppiedi. The letter suggests that Mr. Treppiedi was unethical in his handling of cases and asserted counterclaims wrongfully in representing Spokane police officers. These suggestions are false. Mr. Treppiedi has never been found to have committed any violation of an ethics rule, either by a court or by the State Bar Association. The allegation that Spokane filed wrongful counterclaims was summarily dismissed in federal court, and Karen Dorn Steele should know that.

Having worked with Mr. Treppiedi for over a decade, I know from personal experience that he is exceptionally capable, ethical, hardworking and civic-minded. Mr. Treppiedi’s record in representing our community’s police officers has been extremely successful, and he has saved the taxpayers millions of dollars by his successful defense of often-frivolous lawsuits. Mr. Treppiedi is a lawyer – it is his job to represent his client to the best of his ability, which is what he does and all he does. He deserves the community’s praise and thanks, not Ms. Steele’s obviously personal vendetta, to which he cannot respond. Rocco Treppiedi deserves better than that – and so does Spokane.

Milton Rowland

Spokane