>>Valley Patriot>>
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Editorial *
Lawrence Cabbie is no Criminal
Here we go again in Lawrence
where the victim is arrested and treated like the
criminal, instead of focusing on the real criminals.
Last year, hero Marine Dan Cotnoir was arrested and
charged with attempted murder for defending himself and
his family when kids outside his apartment on Broadway
were throwing bottles into his window.
This month, Lawrence cab driver Bienvenido Rodriguez is
being charged by police for shooting Herman Irene, an
armed robber who held him up at knife point in front of
witnesses and a man with a long criminal record.
We say, as the result of his own criminal behavior, Mr.
Herman Irene got exactly what he deserved: a bullet, a
medflight to Boston and a series of weeks filled with
discomfort and physical rehab before he can recover from
the injuries he received as the result of his own
criminal behavior.
In both the Cotnoir and Rodriguez cases, we believe that
the Lawrence police were too quick to judge and make
arrests.
Both men were victims, both men had a right to defend
themselves and both men did what they believed at the
time was right to stop the violence against them.
With Rodriquez the cab driver, fearing for his life after
being robbed, he was simply trying to prevent being
robbed or assaulted by Mr. Irene again. As the victim of
a crime, he was making what amounted to a citizens
arrest.
Had the cab driver been a police officer, would the
Lawrence police have been so quick to arrest that
officer? We dont believe they would. As has been
the case in the past, there would have been an
investigation and maybe a clerk magistrates hearing
to determine whether or not there should be any charges
lodged against the officer.
This same protocol should have been used here (and with
Dan Cotnoir) to get a clear and independent picture of
the situation and to determine whether or not there
should be any charges against Rodriguez.
But now it is too late, the damage is done and the victim
once again is being wrongly accused while the criminal
seems to be getting a pass.
We only hope that, as with the Cotnoir jury in its
acquittal, that a jury of Massachusetts citizens will
once again do the right thing if this case ever gets that
far.
One thing for sure, however. Had Mr. Rodriguez called the
police, Herman Irene would be out on bail within hours
robbing other cab drivers and committing more crimes,
instead of laying in a hospital bed contemplating his own
future.
Maybe Mr. Rodriguezs actions will give Herman Irene
the incentive he needs to stop victimizing people, maybe
it will not.
But the one thing we know for sure is, Bienvenido
Rodriguez took Herman Irene off the streets for far
longer than our police or criminal justice system could
have, and for that, we say (legal or not), he did our
community a favor.
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The February 2007
Edition of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2007, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 10,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
North Andover,
Methuen, Haverhill, Chelmsford, Georgetown, Groveland,
Boxford, Amesbury,
Lawrence, Dracut, Tewksbury, Hampton & Salisbury
Beach, and Lowell.
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