Geronimo Pratt

I read with great interest the June 11 front-page story on the release of Elmer “Geronimo” Pratt and his vow that his legal team would dedicate itself to finding the real killer of Caroline Olsen. Given that his legal team includes Johnnie Cochran, who also represented another well-known accused murderer who made a similar vow as he walked free, I hope my cynicism is unfounded.

Speaking about the woman he was accused of killing, Pratt was quoted after his release as saying: “No one has championed her cause. She was just forgotten.” This is painfully true: In the many media stories about this case, almost nothing has been said about the victim. Caroline Olsen was my aunt, and to this day almost 30 years later I can clearly recall the anguished wails of her 7-year-old daughter when her father told her she would never see her mother again. Whoever killed Caroline not only ended the life of a very caring and beautiful person, but shattered an entire extended family as well.

The final tragedy of this long-drawn-out case is that now the truth will probably never be known. If Pratt was indeed set up, as he claims, then those responsible have a lot to answer for; and if Pratt is guilty despite the apparent misconduct on the part of the prosecution, then may God have mercy on his soul.

MARC RESHOVSKY

Pasadena