Evidence should be handled with care

I waited a solid 24 hours to make a comment about the headline on Friday’s paper regarding the Morphew family’s request to have Suzanne’s remains released.  I wanted to let this request simmer in my head to make sure I was not jumping to conclusions.

As I understand, one of the strongest components of the prosecution team is the evidence of drugs of a certain kind found in her bones.

While I am not unsympathetic to Mallory and Macy’s desire for some type of closure, their appearances and position regarding their mother’s death, and standing by their father, a suspect in Suzanne’s murder seems strange at this late time (almost six years) and so close to a trial where Suzanne’s remains may be needed for further evaluation.

They can certainly hold a memorial service right now, but relinquishing evidence at this point seems strangely strategic from a defense standpoint and should be handled with great care.  We certainly wouldn’t want that evidence to be challenged during the trial and cause a problem if it is no longer there.

Mallory and Macy have gone this long.  They can certainly wait another few months.

Trish Beyer

Colorado Springs

In response to Laurel Schow’s letter published here February 27, I am compelled to correct the record and inform your readers of the facts.

Ms. Schow, as a citizen, has every right to demand scrutiny – although it is not terribly clear what she is implying “demands” scrutiny. Likewise, as a member of the El Paso County Planning Commission, I have a right to defend myself against false accusations from someone I have never met or talked with. I have been a small business owner since 1994 and my occupation is as a Government Relations and Political Consultant. I advocate on behalf of many citizens and small businesses for many worthy causes. These citizens and business have a right to petition their government about legislative and policy decisions, just as Ms. Schow does. If and when those causes interfere with my ability to be neutral in my role as a Planning Commissioner, I recuse myself from the consideration and vote in question. My experience with the County Planning professionals is that they are always transparent and accountable to the Commission, to the Board of County Commissioners and especially to the public they serve.

While it is not my place to defend Mr. Dossey or his record, it is clear that Ms. Schow has little knowledge of the matters she writes about. Otherwise, she would know that Mr. Dossey has never served on the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners.

I will continue to serve transparently and ethically, regardless of attempts to distort the record.

Sarah Brittain Jack

Colorado Springs

Puppy black market already exists

The article on HB-1011, banning the sale of puppies and kittens in pet stores and through third parties, accurately reflected the testimony at the hearing but the testimony was not always accurate.

99% of the opposition was by pet store owners, their families, their employees and paid lobbyists. All have a financial interest in killing the bill. They claim the bill will create a black market for puppies. This argument is a red herring. The black market already exists and has nothing to do with puppy mills. Mills sell in bulk through brokers (the bill eliminates this). It is not a financially feasible business model for them to sell individual puppies to individuals. Most mills are out-of-state, meaning the person or mill would have to transport that individual animal.

Pet store owners claim they will lose their livelihood if the bill passes. Meanwhile, there are so many more pet stores in Colorado that do not sell live animals than those that do. A pet store makes more money per square foot selling supplies than live animals.

The pet store owners went on about how well they treat the animals in their stores. Again, this has nothing to do with the reason for ending sales in pet stores. The bill is to shut down puppy mills, where the parents of the puppies are treated in deplorable conditions. Often this does lead to sick puppies, which is not often discovered by the buyer until after they have spent thousands to purchase the dog. To see pictures of puppy mills, you would think we live in a third world country. There is no excuse for letting these animals suffer their entire lives, which are cut short by the mill when they can no longer breed.

Joyce Cohen

Durango

When will we learn?

Regarding the February 27th article in the OutThere Colorado section on bringing wolverines into Colorado.

So, bringing in wolves to Colorado was a good idea. How about the wolverine’s killing the rancher’s sheep and goats. Another great idea. When will we learn?

Don Kusulas

Colorado Springs

Is this a distraction?

Over the last year, the Trump administration has created chaos and division across our country, issuing executive orders that ignore balance of power; attempting to rewrite our history to erase inconvenient facts; vilifying and demeaning those who disagree with him and attempting to micro-manage every aspect of our lives while neglecting our greatest needs – and most egregiously, militarizing the streets of American cities.

Now, as if we didn’t already have enough turmoil and conflict domestically, without the consent of congress nor the American people, he has instigated military strikes in Iran, violating the War Powers Resolution.  This on top of a recent invasion of Venezuela, also violating our separation of powers.

The irony couldn’t be more profound – claiming the objective of “liberating the Iranian people” at the same time millions of Americans desire liberation from an oppressive and totalitarian regime right here at home.

It is hard to see how this attack is necessary, urgent, and critical to our national security.  We should have learned from past “quagmires” that we can’t meddle in the affairs of every nation around the world whose regime we dislike.  Is this assault so vital that it is worth risking American lives and potentially getting bogged down in another costly, endless and tragic conflict?  And, as in other military incursions, it is innocent civilians who will suffer the most.

Is this invasion an attempt to distract from growing discontent and plummeting approval ratings?

Dave Seyfert

Colorado Springs