Time for change in coroner’s inquest system

I am amazed that the controversy over coroner’s inquests still rages in Clark County (“Court challenge prompts county to postpone coroner’s inquest,” Saturday Review-Journal). I am also somewhat amazed by Clark County’s inquest process.

The usual duty of a coroner, through the inquest process, is to determine the identity of the deceased, the place and time of death and the cause of death. And only that.

To accomplish this, the coroner may convene a coroner’s jury and may call any witnesses to determine the facts.

In most places, the coroner does not determine justification or guilt. The findings are made public and the county attorney may take further action. If it is a police-involved shooting, a decision of justification is made by the county attorney and/or a police investigative board. Such a decision is never made by the coroner’s office.

There are areas in the United States where the coroner once made decisions similar to those made in Clark County. This is no longer the case.

Maybe it’s time for such a change here.

Tony Slade

Laughlin

Gun runners

To the editor:

I have been very disappointed with the media coverage of operation “Fast and Furious.” This is a big story with international implications, yet it doesn’t appear investigative journalists are digging very deep.

The U.S. Justice Department, led by Attorney General Eric Holder, gave an order to allow illegal gun purchases by Mexican nationals. The alleged purpose was to facilitate tracking of these arms to Mexican criminals. However, this daunting task backfired when we lost track of the firearms and they ended up being used to assassinate a U.S. federal agent.

Video evidence shows U.S. Border Patrol agents monitoring and surveilling an illegal arms deal taking place. They asked superiors to intercede and arrest the suspects, but their request was denied, per Justice Department orders. As a result, those guns were used to murder a U.S. agent.

My sympathies go out to the agent’s family and loved ones. I can’t help but wonder if this misguided U.S. policy isn’t also a violation of U.S. law. Unfortunately, I don’t see any media outlets covering this cover-up. I guess when the guy in the White House is a Democrat, the media aren’t interested in exposing the truth.

Dan Cerda

Dayton

Paving bill

To the editor:

For the past five years, we have suffered through ongoing, so-called improvements to Interstate 15 and state Route 160 (better known as Blue Diamond Road). Temporary road after temporary road, paved and dug up. Constant changes and changes.

Did you note the Blue Diamond flyover? No one is using it. Drivers still make the left turn from Blue Diamond onto northbound I-15. Obvious design flaw, and we paid for it.

The entrance to I-15 is paved and redesigned monthly, and we pay for it.

There must be a huge debt owed to Las Vegas Paving to justify this waste of taxpayer dollars. While our kids go without, the paving industry thrives, along with whoever made those artistic designs on the walls of I-15. Our priorities are totally out of whack.

Where is the outrage? God, for an honest politician.

Bob Wong

Las Vegas

Great deal

To the editor:

Why all the fuss about Pell Grants being cut? Why, you can still get all of the free college funding — room and board, health care, clothing — if you just join the military.

Remember the words of the greatest tax cutter in history, President John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

When you finish, you won’t have to pay any student loans. You even get easy GI loans to buy a new home — and later you get VA benefits.

marshall lasky

las vegas