District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham's comments about the Schieber case sink her to a new low in my estimation ("Schieber's family presses for apology," May 31).
Abraham's defense of the Police Department and her own office in this tragic story goes beyond insensitivity to this family's suffering. By saying, "It's obvious that their emotions regarding the murder of their daughter have overwhelmed them," Abraham shamefully tries to blame the family's obvious pain for the reason they believe that the Center City rapist case was mishandled from the beginning.
Any rational person who has reviewed the facts must conclude that the authorities made several major mistakes during the course of Troy Graves' Philadelphia crime spree. To spin the family's lawsuit on emotions not only dishonors the Schieber family and the memory of their daughter, it closes off any dialogue about what went wrong and what could be done to prevent the same mistakes from happening again.
Al Campana
Willow Grove
alcampana@aol.com
The remarks attributed to District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham regarding the Schieber family were inappropriate and self-serving at best (Inquirer, May 31). Of course the family is overwhelmed by the horror of Shannon Schieber's sexual assault and murder, along with the ineptitude of the Philadelphia authorities.
All Philadelphians should be overwhelmed and outraged. Abraham's "explanation" of the open balcony door, which is an attempt to refute the testimony of Shannon Schieber's brother, Sean, is irresponsible. Are we to believe Troy Graves now? He reportedly stated in Colorado that Schieber was alive when he left her apartment.
Here's another explanation: The desperate deal with Graves was his life in exchange for a new story that discredits the Schieber lawsuit.
I join with the Schieber family in demanding Abraham's apology, as well as concrete reforms in this city's policies on handling sexual-assault cases.
Sudie Butchenhart
Philadelphia
Ruling on police cover-up
It's time for all good citizens to become police officers, since then we would not be responsible for any crashes in Police Department cars while intoxicated or acquiescing in or orchestrating a cover-up of such events ("Judge clears Brady in '98 cover-up," May 29).
Of course, both James J. Brady and Joseph J. DiLacqua were "punished" by former Police Commissioner John Timoney, who let them serve a suspension with vacation time. What a joke! Municipal Court Senior Judge Francis P. Cosgrove should be taken to task for such a ridiculous ruling in light of the information revealed by The Inquirer and confirmed by Officers Ricardo Colon and Gregory Yatcilla.
Lynne M. Abraham should do what she can to see that Brady and DiLacqua are properly punished, and under no circumstances should they be rehired by the Police Department.
B. Hallman
Bryn Mawr
