New Legislation Born of Tragedy

* “Immortality is memories. My son is immortal.”

These are the poignant words spoken by slain Officer Don Burt’s father after his son’s murder. Burt was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop in July 1996.

Last month, Burt’s murderer, Hung Thang Mai, was convicted.

During this Assembly session, I have proposed legislation named after Officer Don Burt that seeks to strike against the underlying motive behind the murder.

Mai, a member of a reputed violent gang active in the burgeoning computer-counterfeiting trade, repeatedly shot Burt after the officer discovered phony travelers’ checks in his vehicle.

The Times ran a story recently detailing the tools of this illegal trade along with the laws meant to combat counterfeiting.

Unfortunately, current law is so outdated that it does not recognize changes in the technology used to produce counterfeit products such as software or graphics programs which design fake checks, driver’s licenses and cash.

As a result, law enforcement officials may not legally confiscate the computer equipment that keeps many organized criminals in business. Currently, counterfeiters can walk right out of prison and back to their computer terminals.

The Officer Don Burt Act will change that. The bill, which overwhelmingly passed both houses of the California Legislature, is awaiting the governor’s signature.

As a former police officer who has lost a friend and colleague to senseless violence, I understand that no piece of legislation can fill the void left in the lives of Officer Burt’s family.

But from human tragedy springs hope that, through this bill, the immortal legacy of Don Burt will serve to prevent such tragedies in the future.

KEN MADDOX

Assembly member, 68th District