David Lewis Rice -- Case Makes One Wonder Who Is Law Protecting: Criminal?

We often wonder why in America, murderers run free and the murder rate is among the highest in the world. Here is one good reason.

The Oct. 10 issue of The Seattle Times reported that David Lewis Rice, a convicted murderer of Seattle attorney Charles Goldmark, his wife and two sons in 1985 is now getting a new trial.

U.S. District Court Judge Jack Tanner said that Rice did not have effective assistance of counsel in his trial, although Rice had confessed willingly to the brutal murders. Rice admitted that he committed the murders because he thought Goldmark was Jewish and a Communist, both of which were erroneous.

Earlier, Judge Tanner overturned Rice's death sentence on the ground that Rice was not in the courtroom when it was read. This, however, was reversed by the Circuit Court.

Laws are made to protect the innocent. Cases like this makes one wonder whom the law is protecting, the innocent or the criminal.

John I. Yam

Redmond