No Need for a Dictator

Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury’s punitive reaction to Judge Lawrence Storch’s reduction of a jury verdict makes it evident that Bradbury wants to dictate his version of justice to everyone in Ventura County, including judges.

I did not attend the Todd Love trial and, therefore, cannot know whether Judge Storch’s decision to reduce the jury verdict is or is not defensible according to the evidence on record. But when a jury renders a verdict against the weight of the evidence, it is the duty of the trial judge to re-weigh the evidence and take steps to see that justice is done in accordance with the evidence. We have no reason to believe that Judge Storch takes that duty lightly nor uses it with undue frequency.

Bradbury’s need for retribution is clearly unprofessional, but he’s done this before and no doubt will again, if he continues to be reelected. Perhaps we citizens of Ventura County owe our congratulations to Judge Storch as a jurist who maintains his commitment to justice even in the face of Bradbury’s opposition to everyone not dedicated to his status quo.

District attorneys and judges have separate, well-defined duties. In a democratic society, nobody needs a district attorney who wants to be judicial dictator.

MONA M. LOCKE

Thousand Oaks