October 15, 2013

Robert (Bob) L. Rice Office of the Prosecuting Attorney 305 N. Main Maryville, MO 64468

Mr. Rice,

Though I suspect this letter is not the first you will receive regarding the recent media attention the city of Maryville, MO has received, I feel it is important to reach out to your office to share some insights and ask a couple of questions.

I am not a resident of Missouri, nor am I acquainted in any way with Daisy Coleman, her family, her friend (the other alleged victim) or any of the accused involved in this situation.

I am simply a 30-year-old woman who lives in Omaha, Nebraska. I am not an influential or particularly active member of my community. I possess a college degree but I do not follow much of local or national politics. Many of the current and political issues I am aware of frustrate me. I become unhappy and frustrated when I read about situations like Ms. Coleman and the criminal charges your office dropped due to, I believe you said, lack of evidence, and information brought to [your] attention.

I was not involved in this incident and clearly I am not privy to all the particulars of the evidence you had at your disposal. I did read in the article released by the Kansas City Star that you had the opportunity to review preliminary observations made by medical staff and law enforcement workers. That the insufficient evidence included bedding and clothing found at the scene, bottles of alcohol and other unidentified liquids, and three cellphones. I also read that Sherriff White was able to obtain documented confessions from the accused within hours of the initial report of the incident. Can you please explain to me why you felt you did not have sufficient evidence to present this matter to a court?

Will you please tell me why you seem to have turned a blind eye to the public outcry at the perceived injustice of the situation? I would be very much obliged, as would many others who are now hopping on the band wagon to speak out on this matter.

Hopefully you understand my problem. I am not in a position to jump to conclusions regarding the guilt or innocence of the three individuals who are accused of sexually assaulting, exploiting and endangering two girls their junior. Whether they are guilty or not is not for me to decide. What eats at my heart about this issue, what really frustrates and disgusts me, is the fact that the charges were dropped and the people involved in this incident were not provided their opportunity to be heard in a court of law.

Sometimes when people make a decision it can be difficult for them to reflect on it, consider alternative perspectives and admit theyve made a mistake. I know from personal experience that particularly in professional environments, admitting to a mistake can make an individual feel they look a fool, or can cause them to fear theyve lost the respect of their coworkers and colleagues. In some cases, maybe this is true. Maybe sometimes people who make mistakes do look a little foolish. But I would like to leave you with this, Mr. Rice. Nothing makes me lose respect for a person faster than realizing they will stand by their mistakes. To me, few things speak lower of a persons character than them knowing that they made a mistake and that they will commit to it, in spite of having their behavior called out by those around them, for fear of looking foolish.

I understand that I am just a random nobody from Omaha, Nebraska. I know that my respect or lack thereof likely means very little to you. I am sending you this message because it is my hope that by adding my voice to the many others I am certain you are already hearing from, my voice will help make the message a little louder. And I sincerely hope that whatever your reasons were for dropping the criminal charges in the matter of Ms. Coleman, you give this matter another look. I think you will find that everyone involved will feel much better when you do. I appreciate your taking the time to review this message.