NEED TO ADDRESS ADDICTION REAL DEBATE IN WALKER CASE

Re: Jury finds Walker guilty of murder (SP, Jan 20). This case has
initiated much discussion -- especially by those who believe that Kim
Walker's sentence was too harsh for trying to rescue his daughter
from the drug dealer he killed.

Some people believe that the dealer, James Hayward, received the fate
he deserved.

Most of us can empathize with a father's distress when he sees his
daughter making dangerous life choices and believes he knows who is
responsible. What many seem to overlook, however, is that Walker's
daughter, Jadah, was a drug addict and it is possible that she
introduced drugs to some of her friends.

If the parents of these friends hold her responsible for drug
problems in their families, that certainly doesn't mean that they
have a right to kill Jadah! Walker was not rescuing his daughter from
a kidnapper. She asked to go to Hayward's house. Nor does Walker's
self-defence plea make sense when you consider that among the five
shots he fired, one was in the back at close range.

I wish Jadah all the best of luck with her recovery, but
unfortunately, many drug addicts relapse. If Walker were acquitted
and Jadah starts to do drugs again with another boyfriend, would her
father feel compelled to "rescue" her once more? Our goal should be
to eradicate addiction, not addicts.

Cheryl Bacon

Dodsland