SCHEER IS ON THE WRONG TRAIL IN TOPANGA

Rather than stating the facts about the arrest of Mr. Hancock, who has been
charged with possession of methamphetamine for sale only 300 feet from
Topanga Elementary School, Mr. Scheer and the L.A. Times have chosen to
make my profession, phone calls to the sheriff, petitions from parents, and
the use of school facilities the focus for their numerous articles over the
last three weeks.

While Mr. Scheer claims to be concerned about Mr. Hancock's civil rights,
he shows only contempt for the civil rights of others.

Where is Mr. Scheer's concern for the rights of parents at Topanga
Elementary School to free association, the right to petition their elected
officials, or the right of Topanga residents to feel safe from criminal
activity?

Ironically, the only right being denied Mr. Hancock is the right to sell
drugs next to a school, which does not seem to concern Mr. Scheer or the
L.A. Times.

If Mr. Scheer wants to characterize Mr. Hancock as some old hippie whose
"lifestyle offends" some of the residents of Topanga, then why doesn't Mr.
Scheer just come out and say it? Selling drugs is OK with Mr. Scheer as
long as it is done by old white hippies in Topanga, because he certainly
has not shown any moral outrage, nor has he asked the ACLU to investigate
the hundreds of cases of African Americans in South-Central, and Hispanics
in East Los Angeles who are routinely sentenced to 180 days for the same
crime that Mr. Hancock has previously been convicted of and once again been
charged with.

Now that Mr. Scheer has recruited the ACLU to look into the case of Mr.
Hancock, maybe we will learn what powerful downtown political interests, if
any, have recruited the L.A. Times to do their dirty work. Just exactly
whose political ox was gored by the apparent double standard in the
prosecution of Mr. Hancock? And, whose interests are served by attempting
to discourage mothers of schoolchildren from expecting the district
attorney to prevent a drug dealer from returning to their neighborhood?
Yes, we all need to know if anyone has sued "undo influence" to effect the
outcome of this case. When Mr. Scheer suggests the arrest of Mr. Hancock
may be "a case of selective prosecution" maybe what he really means is as
long as your are a white hippie in Topanga you should not expect the
sheriff or district attorney to be as concerned about your illegal
activities as they are in the rest of the county.

So, instead of baiting the residents of Topanga with the nonissue of my
residence, Mr. Scheer, come clean and address the real concern facing every
parent in this county.

Is increased drug abuse a serious crisis or just the inevitable consequence
of Mr. Scheer and his colleagues tolerance for old hippie drug dealers?

David Carlat, Hollywood

P.S. For those who are interested in learning the facts of this case, I
recommend reading the Topanga Monitor or the Daily News.