Death of Teen and Accused’s Right to Defense

Re “Deaths of 2 Teen Girls Alert Parents to Risks,” Jan. 3.

This article either wrongly used Kali Manley and Melinda Brown as interest-creating devices for a story about parenting, or perhaps the whole subject of abduction and assault is really not understood.

I find it insulting that we, as a community, believe that keeping strict tabs on our children and enforcing strict rules will protect our children from a situation like Kali’s and Melinda’s.

I do agree that these tactics are important for successful parenting but these will only prevent situations that are preventable. Unfortunately, there is no way a parent can protect his or her daughter from being at the wrong place at the wrong time. A tragedy like this can occur anywhere--even at home, while the parents are there.

What a community can do is provide self-defense training and assertiveness courses. A community full of girls who are not taught to be aware and alert is a community that will be a continued target for these types of crimes. We as a community must provide such training for our youth.

As someone who knows a lot more about this subject than she cares to, I am begging this community to implement some kind of program.

JOANNA LEIGH VOLLOWITZ, Agoura

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If people in the legal profession want to know why they are held in such low esteem by many in our society, all they have to do is read the recent news reports about the discovery of the body of 14-year-old victim Kali Manley to understand why.

Apparently, a suspect [was] in custody since shortly after Kali was discovered missing. The suspect, David Alvarez, wanted to lead law enforcement officials to the body. However, Alvarez’s self-righteous defense attorney, Louis “Chuck” Samonsky, refused to let him cooperate in an effort to obtain cooperation from the district attorney.

In the meantime, Kali’s family, aided by hundreds of volunteers, futilely searched for many days, including Christmas. Throughout that period, they held out hope that Kali would be found alive. Alvarez was prevented by his attorney from at least ending their false hope and allowing them to start the grieving process.

No one should ever have to experience what the Manley family has, especially over Christmas. To have their misery extended unnecessarily through false hopes is tragic. Samonsky says this was “gut wrenching” and that he was “heartbroken on behalf of the Manley family.” His remarks are an insult to common sense and decency.

My heart goes out to the Manleys. If Alvarez is charged with the crime, the criminal justice system will ensure that he receives a fair trial. Unfortunately, Samonsky’s actions won’t be formally evaluated or judged except in the opinion of the general public, who once again have evidence that defense attorneys are low-life scum.

DAN WATSON, Glendale

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Chuck Samonsky should not be vilified for making an agonizing decision.

I am an attorney specializing in handling appeals. About 20% of my practice is in criminal law, and I have worked with Chuck on several cases. From that, I know that he is one of the most sensitive, conscientious and ethical lawyers around. He is also a devoted father who would be acutely aware of the Manley family’s pain and equally conscientious of his duty to his client.

As an appellate lawyer, I also know how often ordinary people--the kind of people now castigating Chuck Samonsky--find themselves caught up in the legal system through a divorce, an auto accident, a business dispute or an arrest. Invariably, those personally affected insist that their lawyer perform every conceivable maneuver to protect their rights, regardless of the effect on anyone else.

All of us are wrenched by the Manley family’s torment and outraged by yet another vicious killing. Nevertheless, it is dangerous to denounce a suspect’s attorney for protecting his client when the easy choice would have been to do what is popular. We have seen over and over again the distasteful result of allowing public outcry to overcome individual rights: The British wanted an American colony, the South wanted slavery, the Germans tolerated the Holocaust, many states winked at the Ku Klux Klan, our government interned Japanese Americans.

If every lawyer took the easy way out, we would not need a legal system. Vigilantes and dictators could make and enforce the rules instead--but we would not long have a decent society.

We need compassionate and courageous lawyers like Chuck Samonsky if we want the Constitution and courts to shield us from mobs and despots.

WENDY C. LASCHER, Ventura

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Louis “Chuck” Samonsky has the twisted notion that it’s his job to get his client off the hook no matter how guilty he may be. How did we let our society buy into this deranged view of legal ethics?

An accused person has the right to factual legal advice, competent representation and a fair trial. That’s it. If the person is guilty, he or she should properly be convicted, put in prison, and (in a case such as this) executed.

Samonsky claims he consulted at least 10 legal experts. That makes it even worse. If it’s the consensus of defense attorneys that protecting a client overrides all other values, including justice and decency, then they deserve to be considered scum.

SANDI WEBB, Simi Valley

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Re “The Defense Cannot Solve the Crime,” Ventura County Perspective, Jan. 3.

A rescue operation only turns into a recovery operation once the victim is declared dead by competent authority. It bothers me that Louis “Chuck” Samonsky, presumably unqualified in the state of California to make such a declaration, apparently did just that.

So, when did Kali Manley really die? Did the killer leave her dead, for dead or merely to die? Experts will disagree. David Alvarez, upon whom Samonsky relied, is certainly no medical authority. Given that Kali disappeared early on Dec. 20 and that Mr. Alvarez was arrested Dec. 21, isn’t it possible, maybe even more likely than not, that she was still clinging to life while Mr. Samonsky negotiated a plea bargain and counseled his client against divulging her location?

Does the Bar Assn. claim that a lawyer has the right to impede a search and rescue operation?

DAVID M. KENNEDY, Thousand Oaks