to the editor: Contributing writer Wayne Unger goes out of his way to present the pending James Comey case as a two-sided issue (“The James Comey case will unfold in a murky area of the law,” June 4). I offer you praise; Reminds me of my old law professors. But there is a saying that applies here too. You can't see the forest for the trees.
He delves into the realm of the unintentionally hilarious by using the phrase “more than plausible” to describe extremely implausible foundations that could explain this debacle. What is extremely plausible is the abuse of office by President Trump, a convicted felon, with vendetta after vendetta against any opponent who might have sincerely noted his lawlessness. Should we mention again that Comey quickly deleted the infamous post? He declared his ignorance of the possible double meaning and confessed his opposition to violence. “86” much more commonly means “throw it out,” right?
Unger sheepishly concludes by pointing out the sincerity and conscience in noticeably more strident threats in earlier cases. He meekly observes that, in his opinion, these factors are absent. Do you believe? Way to take a stand, Professor!
Sometimes it is clearly black and white, not legal gray. There is a big old forest called the currently misnamed Department of Justice that intimidates innocent people.
Mark J. Diniakos, Thousand Oaks
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to the editor: In more than 40 years working in bars and restaurants in California, I have never heard “86” mean anything other than kicking out an overly loud customer (“86'd”) or a cook or server who said a particular menu item was “86'd” (temporarily unavailable).
It would be interesting, amid the Comey news about “86,” to see some reports on where or how often “86” is used to mean “kill.”
Comey's otherwise ridiculous charges of posting rock photos would have some validity if, in addition to the posted photo, he had added the word “permanently.” And even that would be understood as “permanently removing him from politics,” not his mortal life.
Please take a survey. I suspect some adults wouldn't know what “86” means at all, and I doubt few would think the shell photo means anything more than “remove Trump from the presidency.”
Marcos Davidson, Santa Ana
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to the editor: Unger's op-ed is spot on. But what I haven't seen regularly is a debate about the burden of proof in a criminal case; beyond all reasonable doubt. The term “86” has more than one common meaning, the most common being to throw someone out, as I understand it, and not to kill. See the definition in a dictionary.
That being so, how can a jury conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Comey's intent was to promote the assassination rather than the removal of the president or the use of the 25th Amendment to remove him from office, both legal means? I can't believe a prosecutor worth his salt would file charges.
Gary Hastings, Redondo Beach
