Firstly, I just
returned from a 2 week trip so therefore just read your e-mail. I
appreciate the fact that you made the effort and responded to my
letter to you.
However, although you
contend that this story was about only about Mary Alice, and not
"specifically about those men", there is no way in hell that
you and the Editors at the SF Chronicle are not aware that "these
men" are on trial and that linking them in any way to this
murder, which murder on the one hand, you state "no one knows
who murdered her or why" and on the other hand, state, "there
was evidence to connect her to the BLA", this story, based
on hearsay and not one shred of evidence, would have the effect of
ensuring the prospective jury pool would be biased, and the public
at large, further prejudiced, against these elderly men.
It is interesting that
now you claim that you are not "qualified to state who is
quilty or innocent" and then go on to present possible
further scenarios as to the murder of this young woman in this letter, which
actually question the assumptions you presented in your story as
conclusions and facts.
This amazes me, after
you, in your story, basically are stating that the seven men on trial are
likely responsible for her death.
These men are facing a
trial for events that happened close to 40 years ago and have
a horrendously difficult road ahead of them in getting a fair
trial, with witnesses dead or unable to remember, evidence destroyed, and
living in a whole other era of a social, political and economic climate,
one that has changed greatly from the 60's and 70's. They do not
need you and your editors to help the effort to falsely convict them in
an article that tells me and others that you care nothing for truth
and justice.
Now, if you are really,
as you try to illustrate, a reporter, who does value the truth, which I
personally at this point, do not believe, and since you maintain
you have "nothing to hide" and welcome
"dialog", I strongly suggest, since you are covering the
Ingleside murder and the trial, that you contact these people immediately
and see if they or any of the SF8, are willing to talk to you. With such
a blatant assault on them and without a retraction of that story filled
with racist and unproved implications, I do not know that they will.
However, here is their contact info:
1) Claude Marks @
freedomarchives.org
I do not have his phone
number but the number at Freedom Archives is: 415-863-9977
Police Accountability
Clinic and Helpline
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