‘Sentencing the Wrong Man to Die’
As a criminal defense attorney and former Los Angeles deputy district attorney, I trust that my background lends credibility to the outrage and disgust I felt when reading the comments of Judge Bonnano justifying the original conviction of Joseph Brown for a murder he did not commit.
Apparently Judge Bonnano sees nothing wrong with a prosecutor condoning and even arguing in behalf of perjured testimony. Or misleading a jury about a phony murder weapon. He even hoodwinked the defense attorney into losing an important defense witness, and was aided in this misdeed by a trial judge more concerned with moving his calendar along than seeing justice done.
This case is not an example of the adversary system gone awry, as Judge Bonnano so feebly argues. This is instead an obvious case of conspiracy to suborn perjury and violate the civil rights of an innocent man. The adversary system assumes that both sides will obey the law and follow the rules of ethical conduct.
God help the poor souls who come before Judge Bonnano.
ALAN FENSTER
Santa Monica
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