Bias alleged in assault case

To the editor:

I would like to let people know of a corrupt legal system, for those who already didn't know. A 22-year-old boy is accused of a first-degree felony assault for defending himself. There were no weapons. The accused has never been in trouble before, yet his bond was set at $250,000. The so-called victim, age 25, was intoxicated, swung first and threatened to shoot the accused.

The sad part of the story is that the accuser never filed charges. It was picked up by the state. Why? The accuser has family in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson police departments and in the Cape Girardeau County elected government.

I have done a tremendous amount of research, and there are no other cases such as this: a self-defense fistfight, a bond as high as a murderer, four attempts at bond reduction to no avail, over 200 days in jail with no end in sight and facing 10 to 30 years in prison. If this isn't bias on the part of the prosecutor and judges because of who these people are, I don't know what is.

The justice system is supposed to be fair. It is crucial for the people to be able to believe in our government and have trust in our elected officials. People should not be behind bars because of who people know or how much influence they have. A travesty of justice is being committed, and a young man's life is being ruined in the process.

LEIGH YARBROUGH, Jackson