Anthony Dwain Lee

Re “Police Release Details of Party Shooting,” Oct. 31: Whatever happened to the good old days when, if a complaint came in, the cops went to the house, knocked on the front door and when it was opened warned, “Let’s keep the noise down, folks”? Now they sneak furtively around the house in the dark and shoot at the guests through the windows. In my mind the killing of Anthony Dwain Lee, a charming, talented and innocent man, can only be viewed as murder.

JAMES PRIDEAUX

Los Angeles

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* The culprit in the tragic shooting of Lee is not really Officer Tarriel Hopper. The guilt belongs to the LAPD, which seems not to have policies that would tell Hopper that he must try to avoid shooting before he knows what is going on. The LAPD appears to lack procedures that would have led Hopper to duck below the window--instead of shooting through it. The LAPD seems to have gotten the public’s wishes backward. We want our police to value life enough to ask questions before shooting, while the LAPD seems to shoot first and then ask when it’s too late.

E. RICHARD BROWN

Los Angeles

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* The problem with Officer Hopper is that he is a human being. After months of training and drilling, learning about how to fire a weapon, then graduating to face people who are not always friendly, our LAPD is charged with dealing with situations that can change for the worse in a matter of seconds. A second to decide what form of defense or offense is proper. A second to decide whether or not to pull the trigger. A second to decide that your career or life may be over by what you choose. To point a plastic/toy gun at anyone is a mistake. Hopper tried to do the best he could under the circumstances.

I feel that Johnnie Cochran possibly suing the LAPD is wrong (Nov. 1). My suggestion to Cochran is if he wants to effect change in the LAPD or at City Hall, fill out the forms and run for office. Make changes from the inside and stop trying to tear down from the outside.

VICTOR M. FRANCO JR.

Pasadena

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* Lee’s death prompted me to have a heart-to-heart with my almost 6-year-old, biracial son about the danger of toy guns. Then we talked about the danger of being a tall, dark-skinned man in this country. I couldn’t come up with a reasonable explanation about why there is so much fear of people who don’t look like his mommy.

LIZ SELLS

Los Angeles

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* Anthony Lee was a friend of mine. He demonstrated with his life the immense potential each human being has for transformation. He went from a youth in gangs to being inspired by the power of the arts to lead a more creative existence as an actor and director. Then, with his 15-year practice of Soka Gakkai International Buddhism, he continued to blossom. He became a man infused with love of all humanity. He donated his talents to many projects dedicated to peace through culture and education. One was a video for the SGI Youth Peace Campaign. Lee narrated this video, which featured Arun Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. In the video Gandhi explained that the seeds of violence--from schoolyard taunts to war--lie in the human heart. By reforming the attitudes we hold in our hearts, we end violence at the source.

Lee had reformed his heart. Every person has this same potential to become an amazing person of peace. Let’s strive to honor that potential in every person.

LYNETTE YETTER

Los Angeles