PLEA BARGAINS

Reader not happy with courts’ ruling

I realize that, due to our economy, it is less expensive to plea bargain with a criminal than to wait and go through the court system. I am pleased that the Herald publishes the sentences and plea bargains so we are informed about the actions of our elected officials and judges.

While the specifics of Mr. Rangel's plea bargain concern me, I am more outraged by Prosecutor Lee's comment, "This resolution and sentence was in keeping with my commitment to make sure that any bargains are to the benefit of the people, not the criminals". How is it that the Prosecutor believes that dismissing charges of Mr. Rangel's failure to register as a sex offender is a benefit to the people of the community? Does Mr. Lee not understand the effects of a sexual attack on an innocent victim? Does this community understand that your family is in more danger by people who have pled down to a lesser charge and had their record expunged of a sexual offense than by those who are registered sex offenders?

Paula Ratcliff

Moses Lake