`SENDING A MESSAGE'

When did the law become about "sending a message" and not about the law? Martha Stewart's jurors claimed they were sending a message to the Kenneth Lays of the world by convicting her of lying to federal agents.  Huh? How are those two related? They obviously were misguided....

I wonder what message the jury in the McKenzie Mattingly murder trial will try to send? Or will they focus on the facts of the actual trial? Will they see a police officer, in the course of his job, trying to protect himself and brother officers, not to mention innocent bystanders, from someone his training led him to believe ...  was armed and therefore dangerous?

I will admit that mistakes were made.  For example, he should not have gotten out of the vehicle, per police procedure, but does that make him a murderer? I don't think so.  I have no problem with disciplinary action within the department, but to charge a policeman with murder for a split-second decision, then take months to try to find a hole in it so we can "send a message" is ludicrous.

There is also talk of a civil suit.  If a civil issue is to be made, what about the damage the individual and other drug dealers do to society? How much of today's crime is drug related? Perhaps the city should pursue civil awards from every drug dealer arrested, in addition to any criminal action.  Maybe the drug dealer's family should have to reimburse the city for the lives and property lost to the drug trade.  I'm all for that message.

David DeCuir

Crestwood, Ky.