Backers of Sheriff Gates Critiqued
How ludicrous the reasons given by the two groups backing Sheriff Brad Gates (“Two Groups Rally Behind Sheriff Gates,” Oct. 31). Laguna Beach Police Chief Neil Purcell stated his group is backing Gates without reading about or reviewing the case. Now, that’s not good thinking on Purcell’s part.
The other group, Friends of Brad Gates, criticizes the media for Gates’ predicament and--get this--they state that the Ritter brothers did not deserve the gun permits. It looks like we have a new jury on hand from the Friends of Brad Gates.
How does this group know that the Ritters did not deserve the gun permits? This group is kind of like the groups that permitted security guards at the voting polls in Santa Ana.
Remember that the “legal jury” found enough evidence to support the Ritters.
I believe that the county should not pay the punitive damages because they--the county, the people--have paid enough money for Sheriff Gates’ unethical incidents.
How easy it is for these groups to blame the media. All they are doing is circumventing the truth. They can’t face the fact that there is a bad apple in the basket. The only people who fear a free press are those who have unethical tendencies and are wrongdoers.
VIC PENA, Santa Ana
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