‘Ear’ Quote Fails to Tell Whole Story

Re: “Despite Apology, Man Is Sentenced to 10 Years for Racial Assault,” June 5:

Maybe all the facts are not given and maybe I harbor some hard feelings over an extremely harsh sentence of 10 years for participating in a brawl, but when I read the final paragraph where the victim, James Wilson, states he is mad because, “Someday my daughter is going to ask me why I can’t hear her and it is because part of my ear is missing,” I too am mad.

I may not be a plastic surgeon nor do I have an IQ of 200, but to say you cannot hear because part of your outer ear is missing is an insult to my intelligence! I am missing a tooth and I can still eat; a friend is missing part of a thumb, but she can still play the piano. If Judge Purnell bought into this nonsense, then he needs to get off the bench and go back to school!

LINDA M. CONLEY

Port Hueneme

Editor’s note: According to court documents, the attack left Wilson with inner-ear damage that caused loss of hearing.