LETTER- Spencer slickly manipulates irony

The fact that the Tasing of Michael Hogberg while in handcuffs last November caused the Albemarle Police manual to be changed should lessen or exonerate any subsequent alleged misbehaviors by Mr. Hogberg due to possible brain damage. [June 21: "Wrong-way birthday: Hogberg arrested by officer who Tased him"]

Pursuant to the original atrocity committed on the suspect by the Albemarle police, Hogberg should sue the County Police for unnecessarily harsh treatment, and include the cost of brain scans to determine if brain damage has resulted. I totally sympathize with Hogberg without condoning the suspected drinking while driving on June 20.

The author of the article, Hawes Spencer, who tries with lip-smacking glee to orchestrate the public sympathy against the accused at the beginning of the article, leaves to the tail end the key fact of the new policy of not Tasing a handcuffed suspect, thanks to the involuntary cooperation by Hogberg, whether arrested by the same officer in both cases or not. In all, Spencer– despite presenting most of the facts fully– is promoting a heartless, subliminal manipulation of false irony in the news at its slickest and sorriest.

Gerald G. Granroth
Charlottesville

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