JIM MCCLOSKEY

Regarding “Minister of Justice,” by Ted Rohrlich (Dec. 23/30): My worst fear is to be falsely accused and then fall prey to overzealous police officers, corrupt prosecutors, inept attorneys and bartering jailhouse informants. It leaves me with the question of what justice is all about. Pressuring witnesses, ignoring or even hiding evidence and depending on dubious informants who obviously have their own interests in mind will certainly get us a suspect. But how helpful is this manipulation of the justice system if it leaves the real perpetrator out there, still a threat to society? And what are we doing to the innocently convicted who often have no other recourse but to accept their fates?

I applaud people such as Jim McCloskey who diligently pursue their goals to set right what our system has done wrong. Which leaves me with two pressing questions: Whatever happens to people (police officers, prosecutors) who knowingly ignore a piece of evidence that might reveal the true innocence of the accused? And how do they sleep at night knowing what they have done or neglected to do?

BETTINA SALAS

Los Angeles