To the Editor:
These are my comments/ opinion regarding the Aug. 5 Pine Journal article about the death of Joe DeRusha last September.
His passing was tragic, in more ways than one. There is especially the great loss to his family and friends. He was a very popular, loving and considerate guy. The large number of people who attended his funeral attests to that.
A big question is "why" this had to happen. Joe was only 24 years old with much to live for. He appeared to be in "good" health. He had been in a motor vehicle accident and had suffered some very painful injuries. I believe it is now known that he was at times suffering from great physical pain.
Having had my leg broken in two places and a hip knocked out, I can relate to having a need for some, any, form of pain relief. Fortunately, I was able to obtain pain relief medicine from my attending surgeon as long as I needed it.
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Joe's autopsy showed there were three kinds of drugs in his system, taken to relieve pain, not to get a drug-induced high as some people want to believe. Why was it necessary for Joe to go this route? Why could he
not get a pain-reducer prescription from the legal medical
profession?
Doesn't our enlightened society have some kind of program in place that can help people in situations like this? We, as a society can afford to put so-called drug abusers in jail. It's a more costly way to go in terms of human (especially) values and also in dollar value.
I feel strongly that if such an avenue were available then Joe would be here with us today. ...
In regards to Joe's acquaintance, Jason Laubach, was he making a living selling drugs or was he trying to be a friend and be helpful to Joe when he was hurting? I don't know.
We must consider that county attorneys, politically, must make a showing that they are doing what is necessary to "protect" the public. Note: The USA has a greater percentage of people in prison than any other country in the world.
I'd like to believe that our courts are institutions of justice, and that our newspapers report accurately and completely whatever news they choose to print, especially about people.
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Yes, I'd really like to believe that.
Harvey Danielson
Bloomington, Minn.
Editor's Note: This letter was edited for length.
