Pubdate: Sat, 11 May 2002
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO)
Copyright: 2002 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Contact:  http://home.post-dispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/418
Authors: John F. Bernosky, Benedict G. Janson, Robert McCulloch

FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT WAS WRONG PLACE FOR A DRUG BUST

On June 12, 2000, my youngest grandson turned 2 years old. One of my 
greatest pleasures has been to have him accompany me, once a week, as we 
sought out a fast-food place to enjoy our lunch together.

I wasn't on the parking lot of the Jack in the Box where the demise of Earl 
Murray and Ronald Beasley took place that day. However, it is my opinion 
that what happened there was that one policeman felt he had a reason to 
shoot toward the drug suspect, so the other officer simply jumped on the 
bandwagon and emptied his weapon, too. I never have read which policeman 
killed which man or if the same policeman killed both.

Greg Freeman aptly pointed out in his May 7 column that drug dealing is not 
a capital offense. And it certainly isn't a capital offense to be in the 
same car with a suspected drug dealer.

I hope that additional efforts will be made to determine exactly what 
happened so that we can minimize the likelihood of such a tragic occurrence 
in the future. At least we are still talking about it - instead of just 
sweeping all of it under a rug, as was the case for 16 months.

In reading Sunday's article, I was saddened to read that the police and the 
DEA indicated that while their arrest effort ended tragically, they would 
not hesitate to plan their next arrest in exactly the same way - including 
doing it in another public spot.

Their assertion that no bystanders were at risk is ridiculous. Did all 21 
bullets fired hit the suspect's car or the passengers? Has anyone ever 
heard of ricochet?

I do not believe that our legal system intends that arresting officers will 
be judge, jury and executioners. Everyone should be entitled to his or her 
day in court.

My grandson and I don't go to a fast food place as much now as we did 
before, and when we do I look around the parking lot more than I have in 
the past. I certainly don't want my grandson or me to prove that the police 
are wrong in saying that bystanders are not at risk.

John F. Bernosky

St. Charles

Accepting Responsibility

Is it too much to expect the black leaders of our community to speak 
honestly to their people? Why can't they bring themselves to say that 
dealing drugs is wrong, that disobeying the direct orders of police 
officers is wrong, that attempting to injure or kill police officers is wrong?

Do these black leaders understand how much their criticism about police 
turns off white people when the facts clearly do not support the criticism?

How can we ever expect to achieve racial harmony when blacks and their 
leaders refuse to accept responsibility for their actions?

Benedict G. Janson

St. Louis

Protecting The Evidence

The May 7 editorial on the tragic deaths at Jack in the Box chastises me 
for, among other things, releasing the evidence only after 18 months of 
prodding from the Post-Dispatch.

You know, of course, that I stated soon after these deaths and on many 
later occasions that I would release all the evidence to anyone who wanted 
it as soon as the investigation ended. The federal investigation ended on 
Oct. 3 at 1:30 p.m. I released all of the evidence on Oct. 3 at 3 p.m.

Your paper isn't big enough for me to address all of your factual errors 
and misrepresentations.

No responsible prosecutor would release the evidence and taint the 
testimony of witnesses before the conclusion of the investigation. 
Additionally, you know that the United States attorney specifically 
requested that I not release any evidence until his investigation was 
completed because it would jeopardize his investigation.

You know this because I gave the letter from the U.S. attorney to the 
Post-Dispatch long before your story and editorial were written. If you 
lost it, please go to my Web site at www.co.st-louis.ml.us/pa/ to get 
another copy.

Robert McCulloch

Prosecuting Attorney

St. Louis County

Clayton
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