Fairness of Redman Sentence

It was very disturbing to read the editorial about the absurdly lenient sentence imposed on Marshall Redman (“Sentence Insults Redman Victims, Dec. 27), the man convicted of swindling millions of dollars from working-class persons in a land scheme.

I totally agree with The Times that the sentence insults the victims. It also insults every citizen in California.

As a service to us citizens and voters, The Times should have gone a step further. If the sentence was the result of a plea bargain, the name of the authorities who negotiated the plea should be given. Then, as citizens, we could demand an explanation from these authorities and a review of their actions.

If the sentence was imposed by a judge, the name should also be given. This would allow us to express our opinion at the polls come election time. We cannot begin to get rid of inept judges unless we know who they are.

We do not hear about every case adjudicated in our courts, but when such a glaring injustice, as The Times correctly pointed out, is rendered, judges will perhaps begin to think about the victims and the fairness of their decisions when they know their names will be published and those decisions will be under immediate scrutiny by the citizens who pay their salaries.

ALLAN C. RUSSO, Canoga Park