Cardinal Mahony

* I applaud Cardinal Roger Mahony when he speaks against the death penalty (May 26). A lonely voice crying in the wilderness. It’s the year 2000; we need to abolish this brutal punishment. Everybody knows it does not deter crime. Where is the logic? We kill people who kill people, in order to show that we should not kill people. You tell me.

LEONOR FONTES

North Hollywood

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Gov. Gray Davis has the opportunity to depoliticize the system by which the death penalty is administered in California by imposing a moratorium as called for by Cardinal Mahony. A moratorium and study of the issue should lead to a more informed public dialogue that hopefully will lead to abolition of the death penalty. California can protect society and assure victims’ family members that violent offenders are removed from communities with the sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

The decision to impose a moratorium will be a test of whether the governor wants to lead on this issue or be led by opinion polls.

CAROLYN and TOM CHABOLLA

Inglewood

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Impose a moratorium on the death penalty? Charlie Manson, Sirhan Sirhan. Need I say more?

LOUISE SHEPHERD

Laguna Hills

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Your May 29 editorial suggesting that Gov. Davis “get smart on crime” rather than simply “tough on crime” is a welcome voice. Just about all of us could take your advice.

Those of us who went for the three-strikes law and voted to put youngsters into adult jails have already involved ourselves in the criminal justice system. So let us take responsibility for our choices. Expanding the prison system to incarcerate more and more people is an expensive way to bury one’s head in the sand.

Let all of us, legislators and private citizens alike, begin thinking about crime prevention and not just crime and punishment.

ANNE BROPHY

Thousand Oaks