To the Editor:

I am writing to you about Loreze Artis, my husband, and comments made in The Tidewater News (Driver admits to role in diaper caper,” Nov. 4).

It is reprehensible that this information was made public since my husband did not admit to the crime but only took the misdemeanor charge because he did not want to go to Circuit Court. Just because he took a lesser charge does not mean that he is guilty of the crime.

This whole situation has upset my family, and believe me, my husband will not be making that mistake again. At this point, he does not trust anyone in this town, and he will continue to have this same attitude until we leave.

This town is ridiculous, and I understand the need to sell newspapers, but my husband has never had a record and now it is marred because of a stupid mistake he made back in July. A stupid mistake that has cost more than $1000, money which could have been spent on the economy in this town.

The commonwealth’s attorney could not find any real evidence and could not find a record on my husband.

You should be looking at the record of Eric Bradshaw because he is due in court on Nov. 10 to hear all the charges and there are many. We have not seen anything really written about Eric Bradshaw, and from his long record, it should be him that the negative publicity is directed to.

People in this town thrive on gossip and because of this my husband’s reputation has been damaged. I thought I would enjoy living here, but now it does not seem to be the case. We will not be here long and I will make it known to other Virginians that Franklin is not the place to live.

Maybe I should be spending my money on suing the newspaper.

Veliza Ortiz-Artis
Franklin