‘Life or Death Confusion’

Lakoff’s letter illustrates an interesting point about the law. The law is no longer interested in questions of right or wrong, guilt or innocence. The law is now concerned with arcane procedural technicalities, with going through thousands of pages of testimony in hopes of finding the uncrossed t or the undotted i on which to reverse a decision.

The law has become an end unto itself rather than what it is intended to be an instrument of social contract to govern the functioning of society.

The intent of the Briggs Initiative is clear. If a defendant is tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death, then it is the job of the courts to do what we, the people, have instructed it to do.

JOHN ELFMONT

Torrance