Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 9, 1993                   TAG: 9306090301
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

LEE CAN'T TELL HIS SIDE OF THE STORY

I agree that a police officer's job is a great deal unappreciated, and at times very violent. However, we should also consider Eric Lee's position and rights at the time. You and I were not there. In fact, no one was in the house at the time except Lee and the officers involved. How do you know he was fighting like a wild animal? How do you know he was trying to injure or kill?

Is this what the officers said? Is this your opinion? Lee lost his life. He cannot tell us what happened. Do we automatically believe the officers are telling the truth? They are human, and humans make mistakes. If you keep up with current events, you must also know that many people are violently beaten and physically harmed at the hands of the police.

We may never know specifically who is to blame for Lee's death. But, in my opinion, he was not responsible for his own death. Only a fool would choose dying over an arrest, and Lee was nobody's fool.

TRISH MARKHAM

ROANOKE