Lawsuit Filed Over Bank Robber’s Death

Re “Lawsuit Filed Over Death of Bank Robber,” April 12: I’ve had it. This is the last straw. The news that attorney Stephen Yagman has taken on a police misconduct and civil rights case against the LAPD on behalf of the family of Emil Matasareanu is viewed with disgust by the overwhelming majority of people. I am an attorney but I am first and foremost a human being. So I’m not afraid to utter the politically incorrect reaction to this news: Are you kidding? I’m glad he suffered and then died.

In view of the horror and pain this man and his partner inflicted on an entire city on Feb. 28, how can anyone possibly think this psychopath was a victim? Now, putting on my lawyer hat, am I the only one in this town sick and tired of Yagman and his twisted view of the real world? He actually accuses the police of murder? Was he out there on Feb. 28?

We ask a lot of our police officers and sometimes they do make mistakes and even act recklessly (see Rodney King). But who among us would want to switch places with the line officers and supervisors who were out there battling these maniacs? I can understand and appreciate a wide spectrum of proper legal positions when I wear the hat of advocate. But I did not check my common sense at the courthouse door when I was sworn in over 16 years ago.

GARY N. STERN

Los Angeles

* How sad Matasareanu had to bleed to death in the street. His compassion for his fellow man was so well-known. He deserved so much more. Like a seat in old “sparky” down in Florida!

STEVEN V. BEHM

Burbank

* I remember looking at the front page of The Times the morning after the North Hollywood shootout and seeing the face of a wounded but at that point still alive Matasareanu. When I learned that he died on the street without having received any medical attention, I thought, “He probably bled to death, and this is going to come back hard on the LAPD.”

The North Hollywood incident reminded me of my combat days. The enemy was trying to kill you and you were trying to kill him. However, when you had a prisoner in your hands, even one who had only minutes ago been doing his best to kill you, he was indeed now a prisoner, no longer a combatant, and entitled to humane treatment, which included caring for his wounds.

It’s a sign of professionalism to remember who you are and what your job is--you’re a policeman, not an avenging angel. In this case, the firing had stopped, others were being treated, and they had a wounded prisoner who could have been the source of valuable information. I, too, don’t much like the way our legal system is running these days. Still, we have to try to be better than the bad guys. Somebody in a leadership position didn’t follow through.

L. GARY GOLDMAN

Los Angeles