Prosecutor, staff dropped ball, should be axed
The story "Clock runs out; charges dismissed" in the Aug. 10 edition should have provoked an outraged response from someone by now. It recounts how Matt Durrett, Washington County prosecutor, was forced to dismiss charges against Jimmy Lee Hancock after two years for lack of a speedy trial. Two years!
Durrett said there was no excuse and he is absolutely right. How do you put a man in jail for two years and forget that he is suspected for murder? Durrett should fire everyone associated with the case and then resign because of incompetence. But he won't, I'm sure. Little mistakes like that certainly won't hurt his career. Anyone who has paid attention to the American "justice" system is well aware that the guilty often walk free and the innocent are incarcerated or even executed (see the Exoneration Project).
If The Donald wanted to make America great again, this would be a good place to start, but of course, he may be facing criminal charges himself.
Malcolm K. Cleaveland
Fayetteville
With trees gone, a new idea for Lake Fayetteville
Now that the sycamore trees are being removed along the causeway at Lake Fayetteville, I'd like to suggest that the city has the opportunity to create an attraction there.
My own idea would be a series of decks accessed from the trail, each deck having built-in benches and room for public art of some kind.
That's just one idea. I'm sure there are others.
Dan Minkel
Fayetteville
Commentary on 08/20/2017