SENSELESS DEATH, SENSELESS LAW

Bravo to Colbert I. King for continuing to shine a light on the
needless death of 27-year-old quadriplegic Jonathan Magbie in the
D.C. jail ["Justice for a 'Death of Neglect,' " op-ed, Sept. 17]. I
hope his family will receive compensation for what appears to have
been criminally negligent stupidity by those entrusted with Mr. Magbie's care.

Mr. Magbie, who used marijuana to ease pain from the childhood injury
that left him disabled, need not have gone to jail in the first
place. Had Congress allowed the medical marijuana initiative passed
by District voters in 1998 to take effect, he probably would be alive today.

If the District's jailers have blood on their hands, so do the
members of Congress who conspired to treat Mr. Magbie and patients
like him as criminals.

BRUCE MIRKEN

Director of Communications

Marijuana Policy Project

Washington