LETTERS

Why Alito ducks

Regarding Tim Redmond's front page editorial about Judge Samuel Alito's refusing to answer a question about whether a demonstrably innocent person has a constitutional right to not be killed by the state, Redmond is missing a crucial point.

Supreme Court justices can't publicly comment on questions such as these. A justice's job is to interpret constitutional cases as presented to them in a court of law. If a justice were to answer a question like this in public without hearing arguments presented for both sides in court, he would essentially be passing a judgment on a previously undecided constitutional issue without the due process of law.

This is probably what Alito meant as he "bobbed and weaved" and "talked about process." It would be legally irresponsible for a judge to predecide a case.

David Lieberman

San Francisco

Oh, Clay!

I'm sure glad we all are allowed to have different tastes in this world, because I don't agree with Cheryl Eddy on some of her opinions. While I respect her right to her opinions, I also respect my right to mine. Clay Aiken's music doesn't make my ears bleed, it makes me think I've been given a gift of pure joy. To be able to hear that voice makes me glad I'm alive. Bonjour!

Beverly Buford

Amarillo, Tex.

Not exactly clemency

Thank you for your article describing the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice. I am not a supporter of the death penalty. However, rather than attempt a debate over the ethical appropriateness of capital punishment, I believe it is necessary to develop facts and figures that demonstrate the inadequacies and injustices of the judicial system to achieve change of public opinion and reversal of death penalty policies. I hope this is exactly what the commission will accomplish.

Following that same mindset, accurate reporting of death penalty-related news events is critical. I insist that the courageous act of then-governor of Illinois George Ryan of commuting the sentence of all Illinois death row inmates from capital punishment to life in prison should not be described as "granting clemency." Though the formal definition of executive clemency does include both granting of full or conditional pardon and commutation of sentence to a lesser punishment, I suggest that colloquially, clemency is primarily interpreted as full pardon and release. This misinterpretation, combined with news headlines stating "Governor Empties Death Row," creates a false and fearful impression that all convicted felons with death sentences were simply set free.

Bill Flounders

Berkeley

The beauty of synchro

I want to thank you for the big and wonderful article about the Tsunami Synchro team. My first exposure to synchro was on TV, and the medium just does not do it justice. Seeing it performed live for the first time was a true revelation (I first saw it at the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics 2003, which was hosted by the SF Tsunami Team – venue was the Stanford aquatic center, incredible event). Until then I just had no idea of the physical demands and beauty of the sport.

I gracelessly announced this article to the Tsunami Team at practice tonight. I hope that my inaccurate presentation will not serve as a reflection on the athletic and spiritual depth of our team. You have done our team an incredible service by writing this article and getting it to print.

Jack Hubbard

Red cap in lane three

For the record

In "Class Act" (1/18/06), the studio was misidentified. It is Center of the Mile Recording Studio.