Aura of infallibility
To the editor:
Once again Dennis Dechaine has been victimized by Judge Carl Bradford. The retired active justice remains very much in character, wrapped in an aura of infallibility, oblivious to the progress of science in the application of justice.
At the 1989 trial that resulted in Dechaine‘s conviction for the murder of Sarah Cherry, Judge Bradford denied Dechaine’s request for DNA testing, saying that the testing was not reliable. For his information, more than 300 inmates have been exonerated over the past three decades because of DNA findings just through the Innocence Project.
Judge Bradford is not alone in his belief that Dechaine is guilty of murder, no matter what the evidence. The Attorney General’s Office for the past quarter of a century has stubbornly wrapped itself in the mantra of infallibility: “in Maine we’re different.” No matter that DNA tests fail to tie Dennis to the crime, that time of death eliminates Dechaine as the perpetrator, that no trace of Cherry was ever found in his truck, that investigators changed their notes and perjured themselves in court, that 54 percent of Maine people polled support a new trial, as does former AG Jon Lund, the miscarriage of justice continues.
The Dark Ages of Maine’s judicial system is in stark contrast to the Enlightenment Age throughout the rest of the country. The Damon Thibodeaux case in Louisiana stands out. There the presiding judge in the rape-murder trial and the attorney general agreed that DNA and other evidence proved Thibodeaux’s innocence, and the 15-year death row inmate was released.
Ross Paradis
Frenchville
Public employees
at your service
To the editor:
Across the country and in communities like Caribou, government employees serve and protect our nation every day. During Public Service Recognition Week, May 4-10, we gratefully acknowledge their service.
I want to personally thank the active and retired federal workers in Maine.
Federal employees care for our veterans and work side by side with our military to defend our country. They conduct cutting-edge research to improve public health and regulate the safety of our food and medicines. And right here in Maine, air traffic controllers at Bangor and Portland ensure the safety of thousands of passengers every year.
These are all critical services.
We may not realize all that America’s public servants do for us on a daily basis. Let’s not take for granted the services they provide. During Public Service Recognition Week, and throughout the year, please take time to say “thank you” to public employees in your community.
David W. DeMerchant
NARFE Chapter 2132
Caribou
Earth Day opportunity
With Earth Day this week (April 22), I wanted to let readers know about a quick and simple way they can reduce their impact on the environment and give back to their local domestic violence agency, Hope and Justice Project, in Presque Isle.
Residents can recycle their no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories through the Verizon Wireless HopeLine phone recycling program, a program that supports local domestic violence agencies by providing them with cash grants, as well as cell phones to victims in need.
According to the EPA, recycling 100 million phones would save enough energy to power 18,500 U.S. households with electricity for one year. Community members can donate phones at their local Verizon Wireless store, or they can also put their phones in the mail with a postage-paid label, available at www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline. As part of the refurbishing process, HopeLine electronically “scrubs” all donated phones to ensure customer information is removed.
Samantha Fletcher
Boston
Penny wise
and pound foolish
To the editor:
After installing a heat pump this winter, I have been very impressed with its performance — and the oil it saves. I am now buying a second heat pump.
I note that the bill to allow low-income families a $2,000 subsidy on heat pumps and solar installation would have cost the average electricity user .5 cents a month extra on our bills. I do not know about solar energy, but the time for heat pumps has arrived. With many low-income families needing assistance to buy oil to keep warm, it should have made sense for all the legislators in Augusta to support this bill.
The foreign firm that was prepared to invest millions of dollars in Maine’s world class ocean electricity generating capabilities, was chased away by Gov. LePage. It did not appear that UMO, who was working with this company, asked for this action. If the Senate had overridden LePage’s veto on this bill it would have generated millions of dollars in new business for Maine’s business, and saved these struggling families thousands of dollars on their oil bill.
It is time for some legislators to wake up and do something worthwhile to help Maine’s people and our economy, rather than sit on your duffs in Augusta!
Bob Tweedie
Westfield
National Prayer Day
To the editor:
The National Day of Prayer will be observed on Thursday, May 1. The theme is “One Voice United in Prayer,” “So that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, “ Romans 15:6.
There will be a gathering for prayer, singing and sharing at the Presque Isle Courthouse around the outside of the flagpole at noon on Thursday, May 1. All are invited to pray there, at home, at work, etc.
Johnnie Cancelarich
Presque Isle
