John Ritchie -- Judge's Actions Damage Legal Profession, Judiciary And Public Employees

Editor, The Times:

I would like to comment on the demeanor of John Ritchie as was described on Page 1 of The Times Aug. 7.

It seems to me that Ritchie is doing a great deal of damage to three sections of our society.

It also is clear that The Times and your reporter have done a fine job of staying with a story that needs a great deal of light.

The groups I feel are being hurt by this good reporting are the legal profession as a whole, the judiciary and dedicated public servants.

The legal profession has fallen on very hard times in the last 20 years. It started in the state of Washington even before the Watergate scandal of 1973-74.

It seems almost daily that something new comes out about the ethics of a lawyer or a judge. That I feel is a shame. Most lawyers are not rich, powerful and ruthless. In fact almost all I know and have known over a lifetime are just the opposite. They are totally honest, generous to a fault, terribly hard-working and extremely kind people. But those types, who are the real lawyers, you rarely read about.

It seems tragic that the profession is plagued by men like Ritchie. I wish they would make a Dale Carnegie course mandatory in law school. Their public image needs big help.

The second group Ritchie has injured is the judiciary. He has been receiving a very high salary of $92,000 a year yet does not seem to be satisfied with that.

To the general public that is a lot of money. They don't expect their judges to be carrying on part-time employment from their chambers. That's one of the main reason the judicial salaries are so good. We expect the best in the profession will be attracted to the job.

That clearly doesn't always happen. It doesn't look good, especially when the governor is trying to raise taxes and is facing two statewide initiatives to cut taxes.

The third group I feel to be hurt are those working for state government. Sure there are some bad apples there, however, most are hard-working, decent people, who enjoy public service and feel it is an honor to help their fellow man.

All in all I hope John Ritchie is proud of himself because I don't think anyone else is. Harry Foster Edmonds