Setting Aside a Murder Verdict

Re your story on the Conviction in “Murder Set Aside for Bias 4th District Court of Appeal,” (March 18):

I don’t know all of the factors that may have been involved in the judge’s decision, but it is the most ludicrous decision that could have been made, based on the information given in your story.

A conviction was decided by a jury selected by both prosecutor and defense attorneys, each trying, during jury selection, to guess which way these people could be persuaded. Now a judge determines that bias existed because there were no Latinos on the jury. I thought the selection was made of qualified American citizens asked to perform their legal obligations.

We lose sight of the real issue: Was a murder committed and was there a fair trial presented to one’s “peers?” This does not lend itself to color, religion or any kind of hyphenation. Every criminal lawyer that lost a case will be exploring this “Pandora’s Box” if this case is allowed to be set aside on these grounds.

Each side had the right to dismiss as many potential jurors as the other prior to going to trial. Was the point of possible bias made after jury selection or only after the conviction and the search for appeal loopholes was begun by the defense attorney?

It was a trial for murder and the accused was found guilty. If there is evidence to prove innocence, then let the appeal process take its course.

S. J. FRIEDMAN

San Clemente