Courts
Courts
A higher standard is needed in ‘paradise’
Where else, besides India and countries with corrupt legal systems, does a person convicted of kidnapping, rape and robbery receive a sentence of only six months of jail time, to be served at their convenience? The correct answer is right here in “paradise,” Hawaii Island. We deserve a higher standard of law and order to be handed down by our prosecutors and courts, and the only way we can achieve that is through the bright light of public awareness and ongoing scrutiny of the local courts’ weak sentences and low bails and prosecutors’ plea bargains. I shudder to think of the measly bail that would have been handed out had Ariel Castro been arrested in Kealakekua instead of Cleveland, and the likely sentence he might receive with our courts based on the recent decision of only six months of jail time for a kidnapper and rapist.
It takes diligent prosecutors who will not accept plea bargains and who are willing to go to trial to prosecute all violent crimes and all repeat offenders, and it takes judges who establish significant bails and issue rigorous sentences. Only the federal courts seem to take justice seriously. With the recent six-month sentence for kidnapping and rape, it is clear that the local courts do not serve the law-abiding public.
It is already apparent that the legal system cannot fix nor police itself without external pressure from the public. We must hold the courts to a higher standard of law and order.
Sue Garrod
Kailua-Kona
Beach
Dogs should
be allowed there
After I finished laughing at Mr. Weza’s letter of May 30, I just had to tell him that my husband and I have owned property in Kona for eight years and love Alula Bay because it’s the only beach that does allow dogs. We have never seen dog poop anywhere nor have we ever seen a dog fight or dog hair floating in the water. What we have seen are lots of well-trained dogs, turtles, keiki playing and many friendly people just having a great time. We have a tiny dog we love to take with us to Alula Bay and Mr. Weza needs to go to one of the many other beaches on the island that do not allow dogs.
People like Mr. Weza need to stop trying to make more rules to suit their own needs and help Hawaii get legislation passed to address the insane people that put horrible graffiti with spray paint one mile north of the airport in the lava, start putting the pressure on our lawmakers to make it illegal to beg on every corner of every shopping center, Henry Street, Costco and on and on, and leave us dog owners to enjoy at least one beach in paradise with our “best friends.”
J. Duncan
Kailua-Kona