Why was he allowed on a supervised visit?

I am appalled and sickened by these events and by the extreme negligence, once again, both by the Department of Social Health and Services and court systems in the state of Washington! [“Boys’ deaths ‘an act of evil,’ ”page one, Feb. 6].

In the end, we, as citizens, are all implicated in these terrible, yet totally preventable events.

Why does one allow a probable known murderer like Josh Powell “supervised visitation” rights in his own home? This is not a supervised situation.

Not only the children were negligently placed in harm’s way, but also the DSHS worker who took these children on her own to a private home! How can anyone ever have any control of what goes on in someone else’s home? How can this be a “supervised” visit?

The total lack of common sense on the part of the court, DSHS and the grandparents, who forced these children to go to this visit even when they both expressed fear of going there, is stunning and horrific!

We as citizens must demand an overhaul of the court and justice system. Also, the persons who determined the conditions of these “supervised” visits to the home of a parent, who had been denied custody of this own children and who was likely the murderer of the mother of these children, must be held accountable and pay a penalty.

— Carol Meyer, Seattle

This was a tragedy

I take strong exception to Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor’s admonition to “not call this a tragedy.” Yes, it certainly was an act of evil. When is murder not evil?

But it was above all else a tragedy, and nothing can “sanitize” that. Not able to man up and accept at least partial responsibility for their mother’s murder, Powell committed this heinously selfish act.

The murder of three innocents is nothing if not a tragedy — Pastor should be sensitive enough to see that and to choose his words more wisely.

— Stephen Nelson, Seattle

Let’s fight against it

Thanks for putting the word “evil” on the front page with reference to the two innocent boys murdered be their evil father. Let’s acknowledge the existence of evil. Let’s not try to understand it or negotiate with it. Let’s just fight against it.

— John Dukes, Ferndale