Spokane Police Chief Slaps Civilized Society in the Face

The beating death of an 88-year-old World War II veteran by a band of Spokane, Washington teenagers over a few dollars sought in a robbery is horrific enough.  Who could have imagined that the city's Police Chief would rub salt into the wounds of the community through outrageous and wholly inappropriate commentary on the incident?

The following passage is from a Los Angeles Times account of a news conference in which the Police Chief Frank Straub sought to absolve the perpetrators of responsibility for this horrific crime and portray them as sympathetic figures:  

"Straub urged Spokane and other cities across the country to support what he called “a very troubled group of young people.”

“One of these individuals was pretty much a standout basketball player -- and because nobody wrapped their arms around him, nobody cared enough about him, he’s now going to face murder and robbery charges,” Straub said. “And, probably, he’s looking at the rest of his life being significantly affected -- if not destroyed -- by this.” 

What an affront and slap in the face to the memory of the victim and to civilized residents of the Spokane region...The Chief has forgotten that law enforcement exists to prevent crime and to act appropriately to apprehend those that engage in it, playing a role in dispensing proper punishment.  It was not created to act as an apologist for killers or to seek psychological theories about why crimes were committed. He has no business seeking to shift responsibility onto society and away from those that savagely beat an elderly man and left him to die.  Chief Straub has chosen the wrong line of work.