Make criminals liable, not owners

IT’S SAD THAT “Lawsuit should be no surprise.” (March 6 Albuquerque Journal op-ed by Roderick Kennedy, retired chief judge New Mexico Court of Appeals)

I’ve just read Judge Kennedy’s explanation of the liability of a vehicle owner when his/her vehicle is stolen and used in a crime.

I can see how it would be illegal to leave a car running in public — running into the store, etc. Mostly this makes sense to me because it may slip out of gear and hit another car, or in some other way may cause mayhem in public through my own doing.

However, while I am on my own property, or my business’s property, I find it insane that I, as a law-abiding citizen, am mandated to alter my behavior according to some anticipated behavior of local criminals. In addition, I am also subject to liability that may include jail time and personal and professional financial devastation.

Because neither the local nor state police departments are empowered enough to get a handle on the criminals who are out of control, the laws have insanely now made innocent vehicle owners on their personal property liable for criminals’ acts.

New Mexico needs to pass a law that states if you instigate a crime, you are responsible for anything that happens in the course of that crime. Making good citizens who leave their keys in their car on their own property be responsible for criminals’ acts is reprehensible and needs to change today.

It’s simple, though I’m sure the lawyers will hate it. TRUDY DILEO Albuquerque