Juxtaposed on the front page of The Pilot for March 5 are two articles: one about the miscarriage of justice in Oxford in 1970 chronicled in Tim Tyson's book, "Blood Done Sign My Name," and the other about a young man caught in current legal system wrangling.

I am alarmed that our legal and educational systems are enforcing the letter of the law at the expense of an athlete who has made mistakes, but is willing to move his life in a healthier direction.

Because both systems exist to educate, enforce, correct and rehabilitate in order to create an environment that we all can benefit from, I think it is time to reflect on what is happening to Damien Hussein Steadman.

To me, it seems that the letter of the law is being enforced at the expense of what the law is intended to do. It sounds to me as if this issue and this young man are being bounced back and forth between two counties and two systems while he waits to move on with his life as a person and a basketball player.

My hope is that whoever is in charge will back up, reconsider and work with Damien as he strives to live a more constructive life.

I encourage Damien to maintain a positive attitude while waiting for the kind of justice that seeks compassionate balance between enforcing the rules and using the rules to help him become the person he wishes to be. It sounds to me as if we may be re-enacting another miscarriage of justice 38 years later.

Chas. Griffin

Seven Lakes