LETTER- Gerry Mitchell must have justice

On behalf of the justice-loving people of Charlottesville, I call upon Albemarle County Police Chief John Miller and Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo to address the matter of Albemarle officer Gregory Davis not yielding to a Gerry Mitchell, a pedestrian crossing a street, and Charlottesville officer Steve Grissom issuing a ticket to Mitchell. 

I further call upon the Charlottesville District Court to administer justice in this case. Having known Police Chief Longo to become personally and positively involved in a matter where I had an encounter with two policemen, I have high hopes that he will do the right thing in this matter. 

I was greatly impressed and inspired by Mitchell's paintings when I visited two of his art exhibitions. Now, Mitchell, an AIDS survivor since 1981, feels that his injury from this accident will further limit his ability to paint.

On behalf of the readers of the Hook, I want to thank Courteney Stuart for her investigative reporting of the Mitchell encounter with the police that appeared in two articles ["This man was hit by a police cruiser in this crosswalk– and then given a ticket," December 6, and "Fall-out: Who ordered ticket for run-down pedestrian?" December 13].

Like me, many citizens in Charlottesville would not have known about Mitchell's encounter with the police had it not been for Stuart's reporting. These articles confirm my belief that the media is the fourth branch of the government.

Bravo! Thank you!

Uriah J. Fields
Charlottesville

#