He’s Innocent Until Proven Guilty in Court

* You reported (July 2) on the sentencing of Ion Rada to 18 months in jail “after a jury found him guilty of evading a police officer and resisting arrest May 15.” That is correct, but your report goes on to say: “About 4 a.m. Rada kicked in the front door of a Canoga Park apartment and attacked his former girlfriend’s parents and another family member. . . . He refused to undergo a blood-alcohol test. . . .”

Mr. Rada was tried for attacking those three people and for driving under the influence, as well as for evading the police and resisting arrest, but the jury found him guilty of only the last two charges. As a member of that jury, which was split on the other charges, I must protest the deputy city attorney’s stating as fact what has not been proven in court. It is my understanding that the presumption of innocence is still a basic tenet of our legal system.

NORMAN DUDLEY

Sylmar