Dear Editor: 

When Howard Altman wrote “Who Killed Barbara Ann Russo?”  his description of women’s experiences seemed to be of another planet instead of just another gender.  Altman, apparently, does not know that telling a friend to be sure to “lock the car,” or being bothered  by a man while jogging are both merely a part of every woman’s everyday experience and would not necessarily mean that anything is out of the ordinary.  Altman notes that Russo had a “dark side” and was “afraid for her life.”  So what?  Most women are. 

We are absolutely furious that Altman’s trash journalism served to discredit and blame the dead victim.  By quoting the attorney of a twice accused-once convicted rapist he dares to seriously allude that Russo might not have even been murdered.  How would he (and others) surmise that she died? 

In the same breath he mentions that she had just “turned forty alone,” was “depressed,” had “recently had skin cancer removed,” and “didn’t put up a Christmas tree.”  Does anyone truly think that Barbara Ann Russo went to a field, pulled her own pants down and killed herself?  We would be rolling in our graves if this had been written about us. 

Barbara Ann Russo at peace?  We doubt it.  Barbara Russo, in her life, understood what can happen to a woman, and she attempted to protect herself from that violence.  Her careful efforts failed her and we are deeply sad for her. 

As a society, we need to ask not only who killed Barbara Russo, but why she and so many other women are murdered in sexually related crimes.  We need to wonder why the police, the courts and the media, yes even nice reporters like Howard Altman, often provide a support network for the men who commit these crimes.  Until these questions are answered and the political terrorism against women stops there should rightly be no peace.    

Sincerely,
Nikki Craft, Lansing, Michigan
Michelle Anderson, Santa Cruz, California

[Howard Altman (born 1960) is an American journalist and newspaper editor. He was an investigative reporter, columnist and news editor at the Philadelphia City Paper for many years, and its editor-in-chief from March 2003 until he was fired in May 2004. During his tenure at the City Paper, Altman won multiple local and state awards in the "weekly alternative" or "non-daily" categories for his columns, sports coverage, and investigative reporting. Altman and colleagues have also won awards as editors for the front-page design of the City Paper's issue dealing with the September 11, 2001 attacks. Altman is now Courts and Cops Team Leader for The Tampa Tribune. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Altman] Please note this letter was written in 1988. It is reproduced here for archival purposes only.