Posted on Thu, Sep. 09, 2004
We
deserve to feel safe in our homes
Letter to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
I found unbelievable the comment by North Richland
Hills Mayor Oscar Trevino about the lawsuit filed by the estate of Troy Davis:
"It's a litigious society, and you have to defend yourself when a lawsuit
comes out." (See Tuesday news story "Lawsuit has cost city over
$400,000.")
I wonder how litigious he would be if 17 SWAT team
members illegally broke into his home without cause (as the 5th U.S. Circuit
Court of Appeals recently ruled they did) and shot to death his only son. The
police department brought on this lawsuit by its illegal and immoral conduct.
I cry every day over the loss of my child. I would
much rather have my precious son back than all the money in the world.
This department must be held accountable for the
horrific actions that took the life of an innocent, 25-year-old man and ruined
my life. Residents of
This department didn't even bother to do a simple
stake-out, check out its source (who proved to be unreliable, with a personal
vendetta against this family) or even try to set up a buy for drugs. If the
department had done just one of these things, this senseless tragedy would have
been avoided.
Instead, the police recklessly and illegally rammed in
a citizen's door, entered the home and shot a member of the family to death
within two seconds of entry. What does Trevino expect to happen with this type
of reprehensible behavior?
I wonder if residents are aware that George Staples,
the city attorney, who has an annual salary of $40,000, has profited almost
$250,000 to date and will be a millionaire before this is over. What a terrific
windfall for Staples! He can retire in comfort that was unattainable to him
before this tragedy.
I find it the height of hypocrisy that Trevino speaks
of supporting "your employees" when the employee (Allan Hill) who
killed my son, was forced to resign. Where was the mayor's support for the
"employee" then? Hill has spoken openly of his bitterness caused by
the lack of support he received from this very mayor and his own police
department, as well as by his forced resignation.
I have no doubt that if Trevino or Staples lost a
child in this manner they would file suit so fast it would make your head spin.
Nothing will bring my child back -- but maybe, just maybe, this lawsuit will
hold this city accountable so that no other parents in our city will have to
bury a child, suffering unbelievable pain, because the police didn't do the
minimum investigation to prevent such a tragedy.
My son is gone, but other residents of this city
deserve to feel safe in their homes and to never have to experience the pain of
losing a child because of a police department that acts with total disregard
for its citizens' safety and well-being -- the very citizens they're sworn to
serve and protect.
Barbara Davis,