◆ SpookStack

s eet ce ate AS a te - ~ cf —— ’ oA my =a \~ ee amaeal eee amin Sorte tO om RE EE TT BS ps, din eee ne poe - Y. C t) June 28, 1982 Honorable Willism B. Bryant Le Federal District Court ; Washington, D. C. Dear Judge Bryant: This is a letter that I intended to write sooner, but the contents ase still relevant in spite of the delay, Iwas surprised and dism-yed to read in the press about your decision to overule the brabery conviction of forner Representative Kelly of Florida. It was shocking to resd that you described the tactics of the F. 8, I. in the Abscam case, aa "outrageous", and intimated that law enforcement officials had menufactured crime and created criminals. As &@ believer in our est blished trial by jury, I find it troubling to have a Single judge -. overule a verdict of twelve durors. This seems to be another example of the jnpdicitry being too favoreble to defendants. You refer to the dubious character of s government witness in the Kelly case. Surely, yru can't always expect, ss a witness, an upright and mich respected citizen, to be an example of righteousness! Often, it tskes someone of sh-dy ch3racter to help in the conviction of one accused of wrongdoine,. Many of us have been encouraged and pleased by the conviction of government officisls ana representstives-wha heve betr-yed their trusts in the Abscam cases. This is: good news smid se much Dad news of crime and wrongs, in the~publig press, It is significent thet your decigiton in the Kelly case, is at odds with the decisions of other reder:l District BHudges, in the sever:1 Abse-m cases, Gne is tempted to believe (as often is ch reed) tht the District of Cajumbia Federsl courts are cOmposed of jjudzes whe letn too far in faver of defend-nts ind those of » liber-1 roint of view. I hope ind believe that yeur decision will not be sust-ined,. b Respectfully ; oe rot . aa - 5h fr ICD A, lane / 4) ; /y 4 nn Tanfawoa ON