Letters to the Editor

Rest in peace, Andy Williams

The world has lost a superb entertainer and an all-around good and gentle man with the passing of the beloved Andy Williams ("Mellow crooner with Midwestern charm," Thursday). Alas, the distinguished and genteel crooners such as Williams, Mel Torme, Perry Como, and Rudy Vallee have become a vanishing breed.

Williams brought so much great and wholesome entertainment to us through a tremendous number of varied television appearances. Perhaps he will be most fondly and affectionately remembered for his Christmas specials, which always got us into the spirit of that beautiful season with beautiful music, comedy, talented artists, and the handsome Williams family.

One never had to worry about embarrassing moments when one of his shows was being viewed by the family.

Rest in peace, Andy Williams. You had a wonderful, complete, and fulfilling life, but you left us the eternal gift of your good nature, artistry, and meaningful words and tunes that shall always be in our minds and hearts.

Oren M. Spiegler, Upper Saint Clair

Another unsolved Phila. murder

I was saddened by the story of another unsolved murder ("Four months after killing, families still seek answers," Thursday). The "no snitching" culture has emboldened inner-city criminals to kill, rob, and deal drugs with hardly a chance of capture and conviction unless their crime was witnessed by a police officer. I don't blame the citizens who keep quiet to protect themselves and their loved ones from thugs who would think nothing of murdering cooperative witnesses and their families to avoid arrest and conviction.

The constitutional guarantees of the right of the accused to face their accusers is the main stumbling block to finding a solution to this problem. Obviously, cash incentives are insufficient to encourage witnesses to come forward, testify, and risk their lives in the process. Even very poor people want to live more than risk financial gain by coming forward.

The judicial system is frustrated at its inability to prosecute perpetrators of these heinous crimes and there does not seem to be a solution within the law as written. Maybe the only solution is a constitutional amendment to allow private testimony that would ensure the identity of witnesses isn't revealed to the accused. Even then, the promise of confidentiality is risky, but something needs to be done to overcome this travesty of justice.

Tom McLaughlin, Gibbstown, tmclaughlin@comcast.net

Disrespecting victims of abuse

I am appalled that Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams grossly mischaracterized a young victim of sexual abuse, Terrance Williams - especially while the case is being actively litigated ("Making the case for Williams' execution," Sept. 23).

Many advocates for victims of sexual assault, victims of violent crime, children's rights advocates, and others are closely following the case because of the horrific physical and sexual abuse that Terry Williams suffered from age 6 until he killed two of his abusers at ages 17 and 18.

With Pennsylvania's recent history of child sexual-abuse cases, it is unacceptable for the district attorney to write about allegations of sexual abuse with such disdain: "There was a neighbor boy, allegedly, and a friend, and a teacher, and his cellmates at the youth detention center, all of whom supposedly took advantage of him." Whether Seth Williams believes these charges or not, the rape of a child is not "taking advantage of him."

The district attorney's language fails to reflect the gravity of the experience of child sexual abuse and rape, and most importantly, disrespects all victims of childhood sexual abuse.

Sue Osthoff, director, National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women, Philadelphia