Spokesman smears police

Shame on you, Spokesman-Review. The Aug. 23 front-page story on the shooting death of ex-con Dan C. Jones is only the latest in a concerted effort to create and foster negative bias against the Spokane Police Department.

The opening paragraphs devoted to his widow’s report of his death, after Jones deliberately used his truck to inflict serious damage on other vehicles, paints him as an innocent victim of police brutality. The caption above the prominent “From the Front Page” photo (on page A12) quotes Jones’ neighbor at the Salvation Army shelter screaming “He has mental health issues, please don’t shoot.” Both his widow and his neighbor were understandably traumatized.

But what of the vehicle that Jones smashed into at Division and Main twice? Was it occupied? If so, why wasn’t the motorist interviewed for that story? Were there passengers? What of the police whose vehicles Jones rammed inside The Salvation Army’s parking lot where they’d successfully stopped him from his dangerous rampage? Were they inside their vehicles? Where are their stories?

While I don’t personally know anyone on our police force, I’m grateful for their valiant and often underappreciated efforts to protect us.

Evelyn Ainley

Spokane