Letter: Crosswalk sting was really entrapment

Addressed to Carson City Justice Court:

My wife and I recently visited your city in search of the chapel we were married in in celebration of our 31st wedding anniversary.

We usually try to get to Nevada once or twice a year to gamble. I don't have to tell you, these trips are usually very expensive. We stay in your casinos, eat in your restaurants and usually lose at gambling. Tourism is a very big part of Nevada's economy, and I feel we were violated and treated very poorly.

While we were driving through Carson City on a four-lane highway during the 5 o'clock traffic on the inside lane, we were pulled over by a motorcycle officer. We had absolutely no idea why. (We were driving very cautiously because of the amount of traffic.)

When we asked what was wrong, he told us that there was a pedestrian in the crosswalk. This road has a stop light every mile, and we did not notice a crosswalk in between the intersections. Being on the inside lane, dealing with rush hour traffic in a strange city, we did not notice that your traffic safety engineer was purposely stepping into the crosswalk to set a trap for unsuspecting drivers.

This is entrapment. If we had been on the outside lane, this could possibly be a little easier to understand. If I had been driving recklessly, speeding or any other infraction, I would deserve this ticket. However, I am a law abiding, hard-working self-employed individual on vacation in your city and do not feel this ticket is justified. I wonder if my California plates made me a bigger target for this ticket?

When we questioned the legality of the traffic safety engineer setting up a sting operation and the fact that we would talk to the governor regarding such an operation, there were immediately four officers around our car like we were mass murderers. I have never seen anything like this in my life.

We were not rude or belligerent. Just simply stated that we would write to the governor. You folks must have a very low crime rate to be able to devote this much manpower to such a minor issue.

I have not had a ticket in over 20 years. I am a very cautious driver and feel that this ticket is unfair and I ask that it be dropped.

JOHNNY L. GIOTTA

Visalia, Calif.