Growing L.A. Police Scandal

The focus on the spreading LAPD Rampart Division scandal is ignoring a problem equally as worrying. What we should be asking is what is the matter with the district attorney’s office, the public defenders and judges? With a lot of evidence to the contrary they were willing to sentence the accused to years in jail (in the case of one judge who should resign), even a wheelchair victim of the police.

It is the job of prosecutors to weigh evidence before indicting. Not just take the word of a police officer--even in the best of police forces. The district attorney’s office is not another arm of the Police Department. We have a right to expect them to be competent and unbiased prosecutors. This is what happens when a district attorney’s office is neither.

LORRAINE LAHR

Studio City

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Re “LAPD Chief Calls for Mass Dismissal of Tainted Cases,” Jan. 27: I cannot help but wonder how many of these people who are being released, due to their wrongful convictions through false testimony by the officers, are going to be back in court once again when, and if, they commit another crime. Some of these are known gang members, and it seems that if they are going to be walking the streets again, we had better be locking our doors or loading our guns.

I certainly hope that the vigilance of the Police Department will be enhanced with so many bad guys being released. It is a shame that the wrongful convictions had to occur. But having some of these predators back on the streets does not make me sleep any better. I hope that you will report the rearrest for new crimes and the conviction, or lack thereof, of any of these individuals who are released. We’ll be watching.

I.J. OSHANA

Long Beach