FAILED DUTIES AND A PREVENTABLE DEATH

I was sad and outraged to read the Oct. 1 Metro story about the death
of Jonathan Magbie, a quadriplegic inmate in the custody of the D.C.
Department of Corrections.

Regardless of his innocence or guilt, is it not the duty of our
government to defend and protect every citizen? Is not this duty
amplified when a citizen is unable to defend or protect himself?

Sentencing this young man to prison for marijuana possession made it
incumbent upon his judge and jailers to accept the grave
responsibility of not only rehabilitating him, but of keeping him
alive. They failed in this basic duty.

KAREN S. REINKE

Silver Spring