Ryder’s Encounter With L.A.’s System of Justice

Re “Warning, Probation for Ryder,” Dec. 7: The justice system in L.A. County has finally gone insane. Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley and Deputy Dist. Atty. Ann Rundle are the people who need counseling. The Winona Ryder trial and sentencing were a vendetta. Ryder was accused of shoplifting -- not a violent crime.

Rundle actually passed on a murder case to one of her colleagues so she could prosecute Ryder for what must be one of the weakest felony cases in the history of L.A. What a waste of taxpayer money!

R.L. Lawrence

Los Angeles

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Ryder’s lawyer, Mark Geragos, is quoted as saying that she is “the classiest woman I have ever met.” How does he define classy? Choosing better clothes to steal? Buying drugs using back-alley methods? Lying at the drop of a (stolen) hat? Allowing her lawyer to attempt to destroy the reputations of the employees who had the audacity to stop her crime spree?

Had she been classy, she would have admitted her mistake, said she was sorry and made amends. Then it would have been forgiven by the public -- and forgotten. She will not carry that scarlet “S” for shoplifting but for her strings of lies, shifting of blame and sleazy legal tactics.

Mary Ehly

Lancaster

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Those in the inept L.A. district attorney’s office could not convict O.J. Simpson but really outdid themselves with that criminal genius and menace to Saks Fifth Avenue, Ryder. What a group! They should all be disbarred, starting with Rundle. She should crawl on her hands and knees to the Polly Klaas family, and Ryder, and beg their forgiveness.

Josh Zuckert

Laguna Beach