Gloria Hall: DA doesn’t deserve personal attacks
Re “Morse faces scrutiny over gun” (Page A1, Dec. 20): Let me get this straight. Sheriff’s detectives seize a lawfully registered gun from District Attorney Larry Morse’s office in August – presumably at the direction of the attorney general’s office. No one in the Sheriff’s Department or AG’s office questions his right to have that gun in his office in August, September, October or November, but in late December, it becomes an issue. Hmmm … what happened in the meantime? The Sheriff’s Department and the AG’s office were humiliated by the complete exoneration of Ethan Morse, whom they had falsely accused of participating in a murder. How bad was the case against Ethan Morse? The judge went so far as to make a specific finding that the theory put forth by the sheriff’s detectives and the AG was factually wrong. It’s hard to imagine a bigger screw-up. The attorney general’s office didn’t even appeal the decision.
No one can blame the DA for being angry about his son being falsely accused of murder and imprisoned for four months. It’s shocking, and we should all be outraged by such a travesty. If it could happen to a DA’s son, it could happen to anyone.
Larry Morse has served this county with great distinction for more than two decades. He helped bring the UC to Merced, was a founder of the Boys and Girls Club in Merced, created Project 10 Percent, brought the first Crime Stoppers program to Merced County and has personally prosecuted more murders since being elected DA than any district attorney in California, including getting a death penalty verdict against the coward who murdered Officer Stephan Gray. The personal attacks on him and his family following the unjustified arrest of his son have been cruel and vicious. No wonder people think twice about running for office.
We are fortunate to have a person of Larry’s talent, compassion and ethics as our district attorney.
Gloria Hall, Dos Palos
This story was originally published December 24, 2014 at 6:19 PM with the headline "Gloria Hall: DA doesn’t deserve personal attacks."