I expect that any complaints to the DPD about the handling of this matter, including Mr. Rebeles' allegations against detective Kimberlin, would fall on deaf ears. Is there anyone at the DA's office with the authority and the balls to drop this wrongful prosecution?
Steve Jobe
Via e-mail
Geographically challenged: "Seaside village of San Pedro Sula" in Honduras? ("Death in the Desert," October 26.) Surely your staff can pull out a map of a country and check a few facts before writing a story. San Pedro Sula is not on the sea. It is inland in the Sula Valley. Its population is approximately 550,000. While not a city on the scale of Dallas, it certainly is not a village, either. If you can't check this fact, what other facts go unverified in your publication?
Dottye Henrriquez
Dallas
Editor's note: Ms. Henrriquez is correct. We regret the error.
This is indefensible: In "Little Schools That Could" (October 5), Jim Schutze wrote: "I was thinking: If we could just bomb the goofballs [at DISD headquarters], wouldn't we save enough money to make every school a learning center?"
This is indefensible.
Talking about bombing a public office? I can't fathom how that made it from rough draft to publication. There have been plenty of times when I have been very mad at an institution or organization--but is it ever justifiable to advocate "we...bomb" some place?
I think if you were speaking of a synagogue or a women's health clinic or a police station, there would probably be some "official" questions asked--maybe even some kind of investigation. But I see that it doesn't matter if it's the Dallas ISD.
I know there are problems here. We always have challenges to face in public education. But simultaneously, many wonderful things are happening too, throughout the entire district and--dare I say it?--even at 3700 Ross Avenue! This article spotlights some of the positives, and the headline even states: "Call off the air strike on DISD headquarters--there's some good stuff going on in the district."
Why, then, would a writer with good sense advocate bombing in his closing? Of course, the Dallas Observer is an alternative paper. That's why many of us are happy that it exists, because it does provide an alternative point of view. However, in all these years that I have read and agreed, or laughed, or cried, or disagreed, or been indignant, I have never until now read and been afraid for my well-being.
Jane Didear
Communications Specialist
Dallas Independent School District
My name is still golden: Please! Please! Please! Do not try to label me something that I am not and was not ("Good Cop, Bad Cop," August 31, and "Dirty Cops, Dirty Games," September 7). If you never took the time to go back to my high school and speak with teachers and coaches; if you never took the time to go to my old neighborhood to speak with neighbors; if you never spoke with my true friends and ex-coworkers within the department; if you never followed that ridiculous testimony at my trial from those noncredible people; if you never investigated how my case was placed in Judge Creuzot's court (knowing that Birdsall and Creuzot sat on the city ethics task force together)...If you never chipped the iceberg with these few things, you don't know anything! The case stunk from the outset, especially when Maples was given immunity from Day One. Maples was still unable to prove himself credible to the DA's office! His accounts of some of the arrests were more outrageous than the drug dealers'! You don't go from being a well-respected and watched officer to a criminal in a few months. The department praised me in 1996 as one of 12 officers in the department nominated for "Cop's Cop" at its banquet. Then in December 1997 through October 1998, I become a thief! Not!
This smear campaign continues, because the department knows that I have been wronged, and they helped set a terrible precedent. Officers are afraid to do their jobs (as far as chasing drug dealers). If the department denies it, they lie! This thing will fall apart, just wait and watch. The department and the DA's office went with the quantity of characters instead of quality. When there are facts, this technique is not needed. But their lack of facts led to these tactics. My name is still golden within the department and the community, among officers and people who know me. The department is living a lie if they think otherwise. Watch and see, people. Watch and see!
Quentis Roper
Via e-mail
