Cold cases: Solving crimes should be priority

The Clarion-Ledger Editorial, 12/11/7

That one person, one U.S. senator, out of a body of 100, could hold up needed legislation to fund a “cold case” FBI unit to investigate old civil rights cases is tragic.

Yet, despite support from the Bush administration, the Justice Department, the House, which passed Bill 422-2, and most senators – including Mississippi’s Thad Cochran and Trent Lott – U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., put a “hold” on the legislation, killing the Senate bill.

There is very little credible discussion about the need for such a unit. The Justice Department is investigating more than 100 “forgotten” civil rights-era slayings – old cases that have never been solved, but still should be considered potentially solvable.