Prop. 115: Right to Privacy and Crime Victims’ Reform Act
Thank you for printing Marvin Krakow’s column “It’s Casting a Net Over Juries” (Commentary, May 28). He clearly states several valid reasons why Californians must vote No on Prop. 115.
I would like to demonstrate the potential damage to the rights of Californians from Prop. 115 by relating the effects Prop. 115 would have on two front-page articles of May 27. The damage to our rights as citizens far outweighs any potential benefits.
In 1989, there were 151 excessive force lawsuits against the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. Yet, over the last four years, the district attorney’s office has chosen to prosecute only 5 cases, even though several of these officers were repeat offenders. In one case the DA’s office would not have prosecuted but was forced to by outraged witnesses. Under Prop. 115, we can expect the discrepancy between the number of abuses reported and those prosecuted to widen even further.
The Column One article on a lone juror’s quest to clear an innocent defendant would not have been possible under Prop. 115.
We must safeguard our constitutional rights by voting No on 115.
MICHAEL CORWIN
Santa Monica
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