Letters
A Seattle reader, Jack William Bell, has forwarded me a copy of a letter he has sent to King County Superior Court Judge James Doerty expressing his concerns about the jailing of freelance journalist Paul Trummel for refusing to take back something he wrote on his website.

Bell urges the judge to set Mr. Trummel free and "redress the harm already done to the Constitution and to this man."

"Clearly he is no saint, but he is protected by the same Constitution as the rest of us and any attempt to trample his rights affect mine as well," Bell continues. "You have already damaged yourself as a judge in my eyes sir. I do not believe I can ever vote for you with a clear concience.

"I would rather have a hundred Paul Trummels free in this world calling themselves 'journalists', or even 'private citizens with a grudge', than one judge willing to sacrifice the rights our forefathers died to secure us because an old reprobate dares to defy him."

Well said, Mr. Bell.

To learn more about the case, scroll down and read my previous posts, and also visit the Free Paul Trummel web site.

To express your opinion to the Seattle papers on the Trummel case, send emails to:

Seattle Times: opinion@seattletimes.com
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: editpage@seattlepi.com

Judge Doerty probably could use a few more emails before June 17, when the Trummel incarceration is set for court review. He has two email addresses:
jim.doerty@jdoerty.com or
james.doerty@metrokc.gov