Why publish an ignorant letter?

I had to write to tell you I am a little upset at the fact that you actually published Tuesday’s letter regarding Jesse Quincy. Jesse was an old friend of mine and although he had an extensive criminal background doesn’t mean he deserved to die. The fact that you would actually publish nonsense like that is very upsetting. Does the letter writer even know Jesse? Does he know anything about him other than what was said on the news? I seriously doubt it. I can understand the ignorance of the public. It’s easy to say something like that about someone you know nothing about. But, for a newspaper to publish ignorance like that I cannot understand.

What Jesse did in his past and even what he did before he was killed is not what is in question. What is in question is why was he killed for it. The last I checked, stealing anything was not punishable by death, at least not in America!

Jesse will be missed by a lot of people, including me, and let’s all try to remember everyone can change their life. I am living proof of that. I did the same things Jesse did, but I changed my life for the better. I own a home and have a job earning an honest living each year. Maybe if Jesse had the chance he might have eventually turned his life around, too.

Steve Valade

Marysville