SOME HYPOCRISY THERE

I found Steve Smith's plea for leniency in the Tina Schafnitz case to be
full of hypocrisy and protection for the wealthy ["Zero-tolerance laws are
simply too rigid," The Orange Grove,April 21].

I know of many people who have done less than Mrs. Schafnitz is charged
with and have received life sentences in maximum security prisons under
California's laws with little concern from the Orange County elite.

If the high society of Orange County keeps giving money and votes to
politicians in office who greatly increase penlites against drug offenders,
then they shouldn't be surprised when one of their own also suffers under
such draconian laws.

Doug Kieso Irvine