DRACONIAN ACTION

Regarding the March 15 article "Sheriff says Johnston drug-evidence tests
to be expedited" and previous articles:

In this revolving-door world of felons entering and exiting the bars of
justice, the plight of the [formerly] suspended Smithfield Selma High
School senior seems most disturbing. Even if the residue found in her car
had tested positive for marijuana, was it necessary to immediately suspend
the girl for 10 days without any sort of supplemental drug investigation?

I must assume that when the forensic canine hit on the drug residue, he
also did a follow-up DNA saliva test that linked her to the contraband.
Certainly that would be probable cause for suspension and to scorch-earth
the girl's last semester of school.

That the residue came back negative, inconclusive or positive should not
matter. Any number of usual suspects could have left the item there --
friends, non-friends, relatives or mere acquaintances, to name a few. But
based only on the dog's analysis she was considered guilty and deserving of
immediate suspension.

In reflecting on this botched, get-tough-on-drugs fiasco, authorities still
do not get the point! Their apparent solution: Get the SBI to drop
everything they are doing and analyze a potential residue of "grass" found
on the floorboard. Oh, and hurry, because we already suspended the suspect
for 10 days. Do police dogs know just how important their role in the
criminal justice system is?

No, I am not a lawyer, just someone with a teenage boy who drives to school
every day.

MARTY LUDAS
Raleigh