Donald Scott Case

We could hang everyone involved in the Donald Scott case and it would do nothing to prevent the same thing from happening again--as shown by similar incidents that have occurred in San Diego and Texas. The killing of Scott is just one symptom of a national drug policy that encourages and rewards abusive actions by the police.

We need more than an investigation of one isolated case. We need a nonpartisan investigation of the national drug policy that produced these abuses. It is time for the National Drug Control Policy Act of 1993, which calls for a 13-member federal commission, to perform a complete review of our national drug policy.

CLIFFORD A. SCHAFFER

Canyon Country

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Re your editorial Oct. 3 on the need for a more comprehensive investigation into the killing of Donald P. Scott: Good idea.

Perhaps you could explain to me how Scott’s killing can be deemed justifiable self-defense if the police presence on his property is acknowledged to have been illegal. So far as I know, if one trespasses on private property with the intention of committing an illegal act, then is confronted by the armed property owner, even shooting him in self-defense is at least manslaughter. Please ask Ventura County Dist. Atty. Michael Bradbury how he can reconcile his conclusions about the legality of the raid and his decision not to prosecute the officers.

DAVID H. CLOSE

Costa Mesa