Letters: No justice 2 years after corrections officer’s death; Description of Parks Miller unwarranted

No justice 2 years after corrections officer’s death

Two years ago on Feb. 15th, 2018, inmate Paul Kendrick attacked Sgt. Mark Baserman, a corrections officer at SCI Somerset, stomping him on the head with the boots provided by Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Sgt. Baserman succumbed to his injuries on Feb. 26, 2018.

Sgt. Baserman left a wife, stepdaughter and grandchildren.

Kendrick was in prison serving a life sentence for a murder in Pittsburgh.

His trial for Sgt. Baserman’s death was delayed in Somerset on Dec. 19, 2019.

Gov. Tom Wolf declared a moratorium on the death penalty on Feb. 13, 2015 until the Pa. Task Force and Advisory Commission issued a report on the death penalty. The report was ordered by the State Senate in 2011 and was concluded on June 25, 2018.

The people’s representatives, state senators and legislators, have determined that conviction of certain crimes can result in the convicted losing their life. Murder is one of those crimes. The governor does not appear to be guided by the law, nor has he seen fit to suggest any reforms.

Sgt. Baserman is dead, forgotten by many.

Paul Kendrick gets three hot meals every day, medical care, a bed and clothing.

Our governor and representatives discuss making marijuana legal for recreational use, taxing natural gas production and subsidizing the horse racing business.

Sgt. Baserman is dead, Kendrick remains alive and a threat to corrections officers and the people of Pennsylvania.

Who speaks for Sgt. Baserman?

Description of Parks Miller unwarranted

I have a 35-year history in criminal justice research, policy and advocacy work, so I know the tremendous costs of public labeling for victims and offenders in reintegrating back into the community.

I noticed the Feb. 9 CDT article on the law license reinstatement efforts of former Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller labeled her as “Centre County’s disgraced former district attorney” — the first six words of the article. Drawing on my research skills, I reviewed CDT articles back to 2011 on notable disgraced convicted-of-crime persons on whom you’ve reported — Sandusky, Christopher Lee, former Penn State administrators. The articles always labeled them by their former work titles — never tagging them “disgraced” (didn’t they all fall from honor, if that’s what disgraced means?) — and their crimes were heinous child molestations and cover-ups. Since the reinstatement case involves no crime, why did not the reporter present up front the redemptive qualities and victim advocacy record of Ms. Parks Miller? Clearly the label of “disgraced” here is a direct example of misogyny. How about the reporter letting the countless victims of crime who Stacy has helped decide the words to use to describe her?

Need for Democrats to rebuild, ‘stop the hate’

After seven decades of life in America, I have never experienced politics as disgusting as what we have just witnessed, with a promise of more to come. Gone is any hope of unity. Regardless of your party, nothing good comes from this behavior. The cruel, completely one-sided coup attempt against our president by a small group of Democrat Party radicals absolutely must be prevented from ever happening again. Impeachment must be bipartisan. These people are a malignancy in our government and do not deserve to be in it.

The once-proud Democratic Party washed in the legacy of heroes like Kennedy and Roosevelt and holding onto real American values has vanished. Democrats are held captive by these radicals who’s only motivation is pure hate. They care nothing for “We The People” and have even stated that we aren’t capable of electing a president. They have dug a deep, wide trench right through our country that will take a long time to fill in.

In my view as an older American, Democrats need to take the next four years to vanquish this twisted element from the ranks of leadership and rebuild on the meaningful platforms of the past. I hope every American would put a firm stop to this behavior by voting (just this once) for Republican control of the House, Senate and executive, to preserve for our children an America that we can recognize. Let’s stop the hate!