RE “JUDGE needn’t reveal thoughts behind rulings, SJC declares” (Page A1, Aug. 10): Any veteran defense attorney can quickly name dozens of District Court judges throughout the Commonwealth who routinely skirt the law in favor of the prosecution and credit police testimony that any fair-minded individual would find incredible. Little or no attention is given to this phenomenon since it tends to the side of so-called law and order, notwithstanding constitutional issues and the American way.
Given this, the amount of negative attention being paid to Judge Raymond Dougan, a considered and thinking jurist who is perceived as one of the few who may tilt a bit in the other direction, should be upsetting in the extreme to anyone who believes in the fair and impartial administration of justice.
The writer is a criminal defense attorney.