Hospital arrest is outrageous
I was most interested by your article about the newlyweds who were going to the hospital for the wife having a stroke and then the husband was arrested. This is absolutely outrageous! I appeal to the Chattanooga community to stand up against this injustice and right the wrongs!
MEGAN WILLIAMSON
Something wrong in police training
Officer James Daves showed abysmal judgment when he blocked emergency room doors against Aline Wright and tried to arrest her husband while he answered questions for ER staff. He should have sized up the situation and aided the Wrights. It puzzles me why Daves’ supervisor, Sgt. Anthony Easter, seems to find nothing wrong in his officer’s actions.
Something isn’t right in the way the Chattanooga Police Department hires, trains, supervises and evaluates officers when this incident can occur. Mayor Ron Littlefield and Chief Freeman Cooper need to publicly apologize to the Wrights. Officer Daves and Sgt. Easter should, too.
In my experience, Chattanooga Police Department officers are committed professionals with too much common sense to prevent a woman with a dire medical emergency and her husband from getting her treated, when by all accounts their acts were not creating a public danger.
HENRY SMALLWOOD
Common sense absent in arrest
I was appalled by the following arrest report! It is this kind of action that gives law enforcement a bad name. Common sense, compassion and good judgment were totally absent in Chattanooga Officer Jim Daves’ behavior.
We have visited your city and have camped there with our motor home. Honestly, we are leery about visiting again. We are seniors and this kind of bullying frightens us. We are getting too old to exert the energy needed to resolve situations such as this. Officer Daves forgot his motto: To Serve and Protect.
Chattanooga Arrest Bookings — June 18, 2010: Wright, Eric Jesse, 3261 Idle Wild, Chattanooga 37411, 27, Erlanger Hospital, assault on police, disorderly conduct, registration expired, reckless endangerment, evading arrest (felony), and two counts of traffic control signals violation.
RON KOCKELMAN
Green Valley, Ariz.
No one person above the law
I would like to thank Officer James Daves for protecting all citizens of Chattanooga and not just two.
Any practiced emergency worker would know the importance of utilizing 911.
When 911 receives an emergency call, not only does EMS respond, but a patrol car also responds if appropriate. Yes, I know our 911 system is flawed, but this does not give us the right to break laws; it gives us the responsibility to insist our councilmen resolve the flaws.
What if someone was killed or injured by a speeding car? Would all be forgiven because the speeder was rushing another to the emergency department? I don’t believe so.
The Times Free Press should be ashamed giving the impression that Mrs. Wright’s life is more important than another because of her previous health history or that Mr. Wright should be treated differently because he served in Iraq and attended a 16-week course as a medic.
What’s wrong with our world: We have forgotten to practice the Golden Rule. No one person is or should be above the law. Think how wonderful the world be, once we started treating others as we would like to be treated.
NANCY T. PEARSON, R.N
No birthday a disappointment
No 100th birthday!
All year long, I’ve been getting ready for Jac Chambliss’ October 100th birthday.
I thought he would like the return of one of his books, “Columns Left, A Legacy to Chattanooga.” In the book, I had collected most of the newspaper clippings he had submitted to the Chattanooga Free Press through many years.
He was a friend of my parents and my husband and I who are living the “Golden Years.”
Since Jac is gone, I will send the book to Loraine Geer, who was his secretary for many years at the law offices of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel.
She will know where the book and clippings belong.
BARBARA S. COX
Get pets from those who care
Thanks to the people at McKamey Animal Center and the courts in Chattanooga for looking after pets that cannot protect themselves from people that will do anything for money.
Chattanooga has many places to buy pets from people who care about the pets.
McKamey and the city’s and county’s agencies that care for pets all have them available, so stop buying dogs and cats from pet shops like the one in Hamilton Place mall and they will move on.
Before they move on, we hope the courts see that they pay for the damage done to the pets in their care.
HAROLD SHARP
Hixson
Don’t use gifts for money, greed
Why would drilling for oil in the Gulf be allowed to happen if there was no back-up plan to rely on in case something terrible (which it has) happened?
This beautiful Earth we live in is being destroyed by money and greed.
Think of all the creatures that live in the Gulf and all the creatures in the air that are losing their lives. We all belong to God. It’s not ours to destroy.
He has blessed each of us with all these blessings and this is the “thanks” we give Him, to destroy it all
To witness on TV all the utter destruction is appalling.
The once beautiful waters and coastline — terrible!
The people who depend on the Gulf for their livelihood — gone!
Why was this allowed to happen?
They use the beautiful waters to drill for oil?
God did not bless us with all the wonderful things He gave to us to be used for money and greed.
JOSEPHINE TATE DAVIS
Bee participation a proud experience
I appreciate the Chattanooga Times Free Press for sponsoring me in the National Spelling Bee national competition held in Washington, D.C., these past two years.
It has been an enriching experience to participate in the National Spelling Bee alongside the other 250-300 talented spellers. This experience has helped me grow academically and socially. This year, in the National Spelling Bee, 48 kids made it to the semifinals. While I performed to the best of my ability, I missed the semifinal cut by one point.
I feel proud to be representing Chattanooga and nearby counties at the national level. The amount of effort and planning that goes into the Spelling Bee by the sponsors and organizers is truly remarkable. I give my profound thanks to the newspaper for making an educational event like the Spelling Bee possible for the academic nourishment of all the students in this area. My special thanks to Mr. Garry Grimes, who has organized this event at the local level and encouraged me throughout my years of participation in this event.
The local spelling bees and my spelling success wouldn’t have been possible without the continued support of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
TANAY PATRI
McCallie School