Dear editor, I have said there are good people and bad people in the world. Unfortunately, some people like Police Officers, District Attorneys, and Judges can affect us in a negative way if we run into a bad one. Most of us never have to worry about getting into trouble.
I have been watching the Karen Reed trial with great interest and cannot believe the possible corruption or bias being covered by several legal experts on many different YouTube channels. If you think it would never happen to you in Grants, NM, think again.
A neighbor I went to school with was charged with murder last year. I talked to him about his case, which should be a warning to everyone. He was found not guilty after spending a year in jail. His free public defender wanted him to waive a jury trial by his peers, the local DA made several offers to reduce sentence from 21, 8, 5, and 2 years on plea deals. Some evidence was not allowed as evidence in his trial. The amount of drugs in the suspect's system, who tried to stab him with a knife, the lie detector test he took, the mental state of his girlfriend, who had an affair with the deceased, and the injuries she inflicted on herself before the trial. He stuck to his guns and got lucky with a few people in the small town of Grants, NM, doing the right thing.
Since retiring in 2018, I have seen an increase in police officers' deaths, and more of them getting in trouble with the law themselves. Most are just young and inexperienced, some are outright ignorant of citizens' rights, and make things up as they go. Since I started working as a Private Investigator for the Public Defender’s Office, I have been appalled at how many mistakes, shortcuts, and downright lazy police work I have seen.
I still like to think most people in our justice system are good ones. Senator Chuck Schumer recently announced that the Democrats put in 240 judges before Trump got back in. The trick is to expose and get rid of the bad ones instead of keeping them in the office. Next time you are asked to vote or retain a judge on your voting ballot, think twice; someday it might affect you.
Mr. Harry L. Hall USAF Veteran Retired Police/Sheriff Lt 38+ years.