Kathleen Soliah

Re “Soliah Freed on $1 Million Bail in Bomb Plot,” July 21: Looks like Kathleen Soliah has become the new darling of The Times (two very sweet, large pictures, tender article on reunion with husband, gushing quotes from loyalists, etc.). But wait a minute.

Isn’t this a grand jury indictment alleging the placing of bombs under police cars, i.e. attempted multiple murders? Isn’t killing a police officer, or several, for that matter, a capital crime? Are we as a society supposed to forget because the bombs didn’t go off? Do we look the other way because she’s a model citizen? Is she now to be absolved from this alleged crime because of the “tense political and social climate of the 1970s,” as her supporters say? Since when does passage of time mitigate attempted murder?

Her supporters call for mercy. But mercy loses its meaning if justice hasn’t been served. Unless a person repents of a crime and shows remorse, mercy is meaningless. Soliah and her attorneys are taking the posture that she didn’t do anything. If so, she doesn’t need our mercy. She needs to make her case and defend herself against some very serious charges. And if those allegations prove true, she will owe society a debt of payment that, in justice, she must serve regardless of her current saintliness.

ROSEMARY HARRAHILL

Monrovia

*

Soliah raises more questions about the criminal justice system. We thought it was about removing dangerous people from the rest of us until they are rehabilitated. It would seem that Soliah has saved us the needed space and expenses. She has rehabilitated herself and apparently made many contributions to society as well as to her own family.

Are we still such an “eye-for-an-eye” society that there is no room reasonable discourse? Are we so committed to getting even that now we will punish her children? The million-dollar bail is outrageously excessive and speaks to a spirit of vengeance that is completely political.

RITA LOWENTHAL

JEROME CUSHMAN

Santa Monica