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August 6, 2008

Brophy story was handled unfairly

To the editor:

As a longtime subscriber to The Salem News, I was very disappointed that you chose as a headline "Little love locally for dozing dispatcher," Friday, July 25 | something that was obviously an editorial comment, which belonged on the editorial page, if anywhere.

Not only that, but the on-the-street interviews in the accompanying story involved people who were not intimately familiar with the facts of the case and made for a report that was ludicrous and terribly unfair.

The entire situation concerning Peabody Fire Department dispatcher John Brophy has been subject to a number of hearings before the court and before an arbitrator who had all the facts. This is what is called due process. The city has consistently lost.

Imagine if a person was accused of a crime for which he was acquitted and your newspaper sought opinions from people in the street as to whether he was guilty or innocent. This would be shocking and I do not think you would do it. But aren't the circumstances very similar?

I would also like to know what kind of questions the reporter asked. Were they fair or slanted? Did he explain the reasons the court has consistently ruled against the city?

THOMAS D. DOLAN

Peabody

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