Readers React: Alarcon may have lied, but he doesn’t belong in jail

To the editor: Well I, for one, am breathing easier since two of the most heinous bad guys have been taken off our streets. I refer to former Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon and ex-state Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood). (“Court sends a message in sentencing ex-L.A. Councilman Richard Alarcon,” Oct. 14)

Their crime? They each lived in a house they were not supposed to. Both are politicians and were supposed to live in their districts.

But who cares where a politician lives? The only people who should care are the voters. The government in Sacramento took away from the voters the right to elect anyone they want. The decision of whom to elect is the voters, not judges.

The judge should have sent a message to Sacramento that only the voters have a say in who represents them. In my opinion, the law mandating district residency for elected officials is itself unconstitutional.

Terry Kennedy, Gardena

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To the editor: It amazes me how much time the court spent on the “slam-dunk” Alarcon case.

Here is an individual who was caught years ago lying about his actual place of residence. He then has his day in court, trying to fight the charges and avoid the maximum penalty of six years in prison for the four felony convictions.

Turns out that Alarcon is another politician who beat the rap. Instead of six years, he was ordered to serve 120 days in county jail. But The Times reports that he will probably not even serve that time because of overcrowding.

With all that said, this is not just about Alarcon, but also the entire legal system as it relates to time spent on cases such as this that drag on and on with very little accomplished in the long run.

Richard Whorton, Studio City

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