Justice for Brandon Hein

Thirteen years ago Jimmy Farris lost his life in a backyard brawl in Agoura Hills during a teenage confrontation over marijuana. Brandon Hein took part in the fight, and so did several other boys, including Jason Holland, who admitted to stabbing young Farris during the struggle.

I attended a screening of the film "Reckless Indifference" at Cal Lutheran University that provided documented evidence from all sides. It was a prejudicial situation from the start because the teenage victim in this backyard brawl was the son of an LAPD officer. Add to that a vicious and aggressive prosecution by the DA's office in Los Angeles, resulting in the sentencing of life in prison for all three boys. I was heartbroken and shocked to find out that this sentence had been given to Brandon Hein.

How can participation in a backyard brawl be grounds for life imprisonment? What teenage boy has not been vulnerable to those circumstances in some variation?

In an attempt to balance the loss of Jimmy Farris we have turned the table and sentenced a young man with the same litmus as a Manson-type murderer. Where is the justice? Who is safer because this young man is locked up?

I dare say had the Farris boy been on the other side of this incident his parents would have moved mountains to keep him from going to prison, let alone for life.

America has lost something. I fear she has lost her heart. I am horrified at this sentencing.

Please contact the governor and ask him to extend executive clemency and commutation of sentence. K. Baxter Malibu