INDICTED: Fair trial now in doubt

The Coeur d’Alene Press recently printed an article about a local man being indicted for unlawful possession of a firearm. Let me start by saying that such a slanderous article should be a crime in and of itself. Secondly, how is it even within legal limitations for The Press and now the local community to have knowledge of such an indictment well before the accused and his attorney were even notified? How can this man be expected to receive a fair and unbiased trial now?

Mr. Freer is a former United States Marine with long-standing ties to the Coeur d’Alene community, yet he was previously denied rehabilitation and sentenced more harshly because of his military background. Are humans not allowed to make mistakes anymore?

The article also mentions that the Idaho Violent Crimes Task Force investigates violent crimes, including armed robbery, kidnappings, felonious assaults and drug trafficking. Mr. Freer has never been tried, charged, convicted or dismissed, of any of these charges. And let’s not even go into the fact that this individual is supposedly presumed innocent until proven guilty, but yet is being held as if already tried and convicted.

We unfortunately live in a community where child molesters serve substantially less time locked up than good men who make rather minor mistakes. What kind of world are we living in? In the big picture, who is more of a threat to the community — someone willing to hurt your children or a man who would gladly lay his life on the line for God, Country and Community?

CODY J. FREER

Coeur d’Alene