Letters to the Editor

Baker, Richardson not victims in this case

To the Editor:

I feel the headline and verbiage of Nick Schneider's article detailing the senseless deaths of Michael Baker and Shanna Richardson is very misleading. It also gives your readers an inaccurate picture of crime and policing. There were many victims in this crime spree. Neither Baker nor Anderson is one of those victims.

The first victim was the truck owner. Perhaps he should have locked his truck given its contents and our times. Still, the simple truth is that nobody deserves to be a victim. Additionally, every car owner is assessed higher premiums to compensate for auto thefts.

The second victim was the gas station. The owner of that gasoline station is not to blame for the actions of these two criminals. Baker and Richardson took money from the station owner's pocket. Each customer who buys candy or a drink from a gas station pays a slightly higher price to help defray losses incurred due to theft.

Next, the driver made the decision to flee in a motor vehicle when contacted by police. The driver endangered the lives of every bystander the pursuit passed. These innocent motorists are also victims. Vehicle pursuits are not the merry larks of television and motion pictures. They are a deadly necessity of law enforcement that needlessly takes the lives of citizens, police and suspects.

Then, Richardson and/or Baker threatened the lives of the deputies by choosing to fire upon them. Their actions endangered men sworn to protect the citizens of Anderson County. The deputies will be forced to deal with the trauma of this assault for the rest of their lives. Additionally, the deputies will be forced to defend their actions in minute detail during internal, criminal and civil investigations.

Lastly, there are the victims we tend to forget. Those are the friends, family and loved ones left behind by Baker and Richardson. They will deal with questions, grief and hardships long after this event has faded from the headlines. They deserve our support and understanding. Theirs is most certainly the heaviest burden to bear.

Yes, there were many victims throughout Mr. Schneider's article, but Michael Baker and Shanna Richardson are not among them. They were armed violent felons who turned the comparatively minor offenses of auto theft and theft into a life-or-death situation for the citizens of Anderson County and the deputies sworn to protect them.

Douglas Correll

Indianapolis

EDITOR'S NOTE: The headline for the story Mr. Correll is referring to was written by editor Chris Pruett, and not Nick Schneider.

Thank you for helping with basket bingo

To the Editor:

Gamma Tau Chapter of Tri Kappa recently held its annual basket bingo fundraiser and we would like to thank the following local businesses and individuals that sponsored and helped in making this fundraiser a success:

Greene County General Hospital and Home Health Care Agency; Quality Refrigeration Heating & Air Conditioning; Richard Brown Insurance and Appraisals; Tracy Keen with State Farm Insurance; Marcia Powers; Welch & Cornett Funeral Homes; Bloomfield State Bank; Lakeside Body Shop; Regions Bank; Shields' Hardware and Supply; LaMar Imaging; John and Andrew Bredeweg; Randall Baker Business Services and Allison File; Brian Steward, D.O.; and Don Steward, D.O.; WiSpan Internet; Anderson-Poindexter Funeral Homes; Main Source Bank; Linton Save-A-Lot; Charlotte's Unique Boutique; Nicky's Hair Network; Francis' Jewel Box; Crane Federal Credit Union; Linton Family Pharmacy; Pizza Villa; Marsha Brown, Mary Kay Beauty Consultant; Sears; CVS Pharmacy; Main Street Gifts; Triple H Gun Club's Grill on the Hill; Karen Wilkes, "The Wiz"; Hilary Phillips and Kathy Matthews, Scentsy Consultants; Nikki White, Longaberger Consultant; Tammy Young; and Angell's Shopping Center.

We would also like to thank Bill Keller for calling the bingo; Bobby Houston and Sherry Erwin for their help at the school, Linton-Stockton High School, the Tri Kappa members that helped in any way and Nikki White, the Independent Longaberger Consultant who helped us with the baskets. I hope I haven't forgotten anyone.

Tri Kappa uses their funds to help many local projects and charities such as the school charity funds at the Linton-Stockton Elementary and Junior High schools; the Greene County Clothe a Child, Pregnancy Choices, Greene County Cancer Society, the church Food Bank, 4th of July Fireworks Fund, 4-H Clubs of Greene County, Shawnee Theatre, Linton Public Library along with academic scholarships and vocational scholarship awarded to high school graduates as well as many more.

For their generous contributions to this event, it is our hope that these local businesses will be supported by our community whenever possible.

Laura Robinson

Linton