Letters to the Editor: Matthew Perry deserves justice, but what about addicts who die without being famous?
To the editor: While I applaud the authorities for cracking down on the parties who supplied and administered the drugs in the heartbreaking overdose death of actor Matthew Perry, it seems to me that they mostly go after the offenders when the victim is a famous person.
Your paper has reported that people were held accountable in the deaths of Mac Miller, John Belushi, Michael Jackson, Tyler Skaggs and, most recently, Robert De Niro's grandson.
In 2022, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 108,000 people in this country died of drug overdoses. My 20-year-old niece was one of them, and although the police were called when she was found dead in her apartment, they did nothing to investigate where she had obtained the fentanyl-laced pills.
Again, I am grateful that charges have been filed in relation to Perry's untimely death. I'm just wondering how many people might be saved if authorities sought out not only the people who charge $55,000 for the drugs, but also the ones who charge $55.
Kyle Colavitti, Simi Valley
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To the editor: We all support rounding up the "bad guys" who allegedly committed egregious crimes leading to the untimely deaths of actors Matthew Perry and Johnny Wactor. The perpetrators should be held responsible and pay the price.
While supporting the investigation and prosecution of these acts, I am reminded of our two-tiered justice system, where fame and fortune unleashes unlimited resources resulting in swift action to hold people responsible.
I had a good friend who recently died of a fentanyl overdose in North Hollywood, and no action was taken to hold anyone accountable. Was his dealer the same one who supplied the drugs to Perry?
I have witnessed catalytic converter theft in my neighborhood, only to be told by police officers that they did not have the resources to investigate this crime. Were these the same persons who killed Wactor?
All crimes deserve the same urgency and resources as those given to those in the public eye. Until then, it’s fair to question the motives behind efforts to solve these tragic crimes — is it really "justice for all," or public-relations justice?
Anthony Lucente, Studio City
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
