Supreme Court

Your editorial, “The Deukmejian Court” (Dec. 1) avers that the California Supreme Court has “blazed new paths in the law” over the past 20 years. It then concludes that, since that court will soon be shifting to the right, “. . . it may be awhile before it reclaims its preeminent position among the nation’s state courts.”

If it is your opinion that blazing new paths is the requirement for becoming preeminent, let us hope to God that the new court never reaches that exalted status! What the trail-blazing of your liberal court brought us is this: Prior to their meddling in criminal law, 95% of our citizens (potential victims) were fairly safe from the depredations of the other 5% (the criminals). Now, thanks to the ingenuity of that court in giving the 5% far more rights than the most reasonable mind can even comprehend, the 95% are the ones locked up in their homes, afraid to walk the streets at night, arming themselves against danger, using self-help because the police have been shackled as well.

I feel certain that what our new court will do is take back some of these rights outrageously given to criminals and return such rights to the non-criminal general public. Returning to the old, tried and true paths of criminal justice requires far more courage than blazing new paths willy-nilly.

BLAINE NELS SIMONS

Long Beach