King Jury

The Rodney King jury correctly applied the laws on punitive damages (June 2). The objective is to punish the defendants and deter them. The poorer the wrongdoer, the smaller the award need be. Valid punitive damage awards are no more than a fraction of the defendants’ net worth. Laurence Powell and Stacey Koon are destitute. An award of zero shows more common sense and legal correctness than millions (legally invalid) or $5, a fraction of their net worth. The jurors deserve our thanks for the right stuff.

D. EARL ELLIS

Pacific Palisades

* Based on what I read in “King Jury’s Voice of Reason Carried a Private Burden” (June 3), I think the forewoman, Ester Soriano-Hewitt, not only did a very difficult and professional job in working with the jurors in this case, but she did something far more important.

She was able to put her own personal feelings secondary to resolving the case for the good of the whole. She considered that there was more than one point of view.

This is a major problem throughout the world today. Factions are trying to “get even.” If they would get the chip off their shoulder and truly negotiate, the world would calm down significantly.

WILLIAM CHANTLAND

Thousand Oaks