People Recognize When Something is Wrong

In a previous post, this blog covered a case of Misguided Justice where a California mother of a mentally ill son who was killed under police fire was being sued by the very same police officers who opened fire.  The legal action has caught the ire of many others, and rightly so. 

“Despicable,” was the word used by El Dorado County Supervisor Ron Briggs to describe the law suite against 66-year widow Karen Mies.

“The citizens are appalled, and they are right to be appalled,” Briggs told the Sacrament Bee. “I do not believe that public servants should be suing the people they serve. It's a fundamental problem that breaks the trust.”

Briggs is not the only one who is upset.  Hundreds of letters to the editor, blog comments, and other public statements share the outrage. 

The boss of the two officers suing Mies was among those expressing his outrage. 

“As sheriff, I am embarrassed at the filing of the civil tort against the Mies family by two law enforcement officers,” Jeff Neves said. “I recognize that there are situations and circumstances which, in my opinion could warrant the filing of a civil lawsuit; this is absolutely not one of those cases.”

With any good fortune, the suit will be dropped and Mies left alone.

The next, and larger step, will be for El Dorado County to implement Laura’s Law.  Providing assisted outpatient treatment will help give both parents and police a greater change that tragedies like the one impacting Mies family can be avoided.  It only makes common sense and provides what is just.