LAWRENCE CASE IS A PERVERSION OF JUSTICE

To the Editor of THE EAGLE:

Ironic that the same Appeals Court judge forced to uphold the two-year
mandatory jail sentence for one of the so-called Taconic 18 would be
the one whose words so fittingly described the actions of Berkshire
County District Attorney David Capeless as unenlightened.

Justice Frederick Brown referred to the marijuana bust of Mitchell
Lawrence as "particularly outrageous" and "unsettling" in that Mr.
Lawrence was induced by the undercover cop to enter a danger zone with
an enhanced penalty. As these remarks emanated from an Appeals Court
judge, they must have some merit.

The two-year mandatory law is dumb. The only reason it is still on the
books is because of gutless politicians. Ruining a young adult's life
for a thimble-full of pot by throwing him into the can is perverted
justice. And anyone, including Mr. Capeless, who thinks that justice
was served in this case is also naive and out of touch.

Richard T. DelMasto

Housatonic, August 5, 2007