UNEVEN JUSTICE

TO THE EDITOR: Equal justice under the law is the linchpin of our freedom
in America. This freedom is in danger of disappearing for poor people who
have no knowledge of the criminal justice system and can't afford a lawyer.
Property is being seized without due process by law enforcement personnel
for their own use under the broad interpretation of a law intended to stop
gangsters from escaping persecution.

If charged with guilt by association with a criminal, you can have your
property taken.

For example, if your car was used to transport drugs by someone you are as
guilty as the drug trafficker; under present law the car can be seized to
help pay the costs of prosecution. The IRS can also seize your property
without trial if willful intent to avoid taxes is shown by some IRS
official, who can then purchase the property for a price set by the IRS.
The county assessor can seize your property without court trial if you fail
to pay property taxes and that property can then be acquired by another
person for the payment of taxes due regardless of the real value.

All of this legal riffraff is considered by government officials as
justified because they have to deal with criminals.

But where the bomber of our citizens and children at the Murrah Building
can get a tax-paid lawyer to defend himself against a real crime, the
financially poor citizen can't afford a lawyer -- it just doesn't stack up
to be equal justice under the law. In order to have equal justice we need a
common appeals court under Supreme Court supervision where poor people can
enter a plea for justice.

Joseph E. Mayfield, Oklahoma City