Attorney Went
Over the Top

It’s April 10. I’m watching the Channel 3 news and cooking dinner when I hear the most outrageous thing! The story is about the last of the teenagers to be charged in the pipe bombings that occurred in the Upper Valley. I think they said up to 11 bombings occurred.

Anyway, the reporter described how the offenders would not go to jail. Being a bit distracted in the kitchen, I didn’t catch whether they were going through a diversion program. WCAX was asking if no jail time was punishment enough.

Hmmm. Each of these young people consciously made the decision to do harm to someone else’s property. Not once, not twice, but numerous times. Granted, they are in their upper teens, and probably didn’t realize that what they did was wrong … Maybe it’s just that I was taught from an early age to respect others and their property. I do believe that the diversion program is a good one, and therefore, I understood the court decision.

However I was absolutely dumbfounded to hear the young man’s attorney come on the TV and tell us what a terrible emotional toll his client has suffered for months due to his misguided judgment. This attorney told us of his client’s concern as to whether or not he ruined his life, again due to his misguided judgment.

I got the impression that this attorney would like those people whose property was ruined to apologize to this poor boy for having their property available to be bombed. I was not only dumbfounded but outraged that I am supposed to feel sorry for anyone at 16, 17, or 18 years old who committed these acts.

So, I say to you, Attorney Kainen, you are the kind of lawyer who gives lawyers a bad name. Shame on you!

Joanne McDonnell

Rochester

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