Wrongfully Accused

Re "Carr's Choice" (The Fly, June 13): The article included several lines referencing my case—the case where I was sentenced to 18 years and 8 months for a crime I didn't commit.

The writer wrote that my case was overturned because I attacked "the victim's social reputation" and that I "claimed Benjamin Field withheld lab notes," some of which is partially true. The biggest factor in me being freed after fighting my case for almost 7 years was the fact that the alleged victim lied and witness after witness (over 20) came forward with information which vindicated me—even after the district attorney tried to intimidate some of them.

Each one of those witnesses, by themselves, was enough to overturn my case. Each lab document that deputy district attorney Benjamin Field knowingly withheld, by itself, was enough. The information inside the lab notes was enough, by itself, to overturn my case. Taken in totality, what you have is a mountain of new evidence which freed me.

These aren't little claims. They are proven facts and they should be written about as such.

Damon Jamal Auguste, Oakland

Environmentally Abused

R: "Hot Zone" article by Vrinda Normand (MetroNews, July 25): Thanks for providing a voice for this family and for bringing awareness to the environmental concerns.

Jen Aly, Santa Cruz

Delightfully Amused

Regarding the splendor of urban decay in all its glory ("Tour the Obscure," Cover Story, July 25). Quite by chance, I happened to run into Gary Singh while basically loitering about as I sometimes do.

During the course of trading observations, memories and therapists, I found him to be very articulate and hilarious as much in person as in his writing. My thanks to Metro and most of all my thanks to Mr. Singh for traveling to those locations to bring us his view on those areas that as we grow older we tend to avoid with every fiber in our beings at least till the nightmares discontinue.

Ken Amaro, San Jose

Splendiferous Ass Used

Re Gary Singh's Metro cover: Ever since you hired my old friend, former roommate and long-time downtown denizen and scenester Gary Singh to gripe about the state of affairs in our little cultural backwater, I've been overjoyed with the result. His insights are, well, insightful. So, imagine my glee when I looked at the cover this week and saw, in all its savage splendour, Gary Singh's ass! Yes, you know you've truly arrived when my lovely wife looks at the Metro box and says "Say, isn't that Gary Singh's ass?"

Kudos to you, Gary Singh's ass! You now belong to the people! Huzzah!

Scott Cofer, Campbell

Alleycat Enthused

Re "Tour the Obscure." I was totally in shock to read my street address in Metro, because I live in one of the Victorians mentioned in the article. And I live across the street from the shopping cart place mentioned as well. In fact, I used to work on their landscaping and I know the owner's daughter from school. So I was very in awe about it all. But the thing that got me the most was what the article was getting across. I'm a strong believer in the back streets of any city or place. I love going through the local places. I've been to mainly cities in California, and growing up we never had much money. So my vacations were spent on a bike hitting the small streets. I especially love alleyways. In fact when I'm older I plan to write a book called "Localfornia." It would purely be about small town life living in a big state, and all the things tourists never see. For instance, I mapped out a bike route from downtown Santa Cruz to the wharf along the Boardwalk, going through Capitola's harbor and up the coast to 41st Avenue, all along the way checking out the heart of the coast. Seeing what beach life is really about. Going through backroads and of course alleyways, only to end up at the local Pleasure Pizza to eat one of their delicious slices while watching the surfers at the hook, a locals-only surf heaven. Riding back again but a different way. It's a total of eight miles. but it's so great. I've taken a lot of friends and family on this trip and they ask to go again. Along with that, there's so many more things about California that are so beautiful, but never seen by the world, just locals. Sorry to have written so much, I just got into it. I would love to get involved in writing something like this article put out. I really enjoyed this article. Thank you for your time.

Roy Lira, San Jose

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