I wanted a photograph of Lynne to accompany the posts on the case but there are none available on Google Images or Yahoo. There is no website memorial to her either. The only mention I found of her were two or three ancient articles from the Sun-Sentinel. I was surprised and saddened. There was saturation coverage of the case in the media in 1994 and some follow-up in later years on the anniversary of her disappearance.
It has been sixteen years though.
Any murder is a significant public occurrence. The most fundamental value of our society, the sanctity of life, is involved. This murder is particularly significant because justice is another fundamental value of our society and is the value that animates our legal system. Justice is about memorializing: we care enough about life to remember. There is not even that in Lynne's case. But justice is not just memorialization; justice is memorialization plus accountability. Friends and family and a life-revering public can memorialize but for accountability there must be government action. Sometimes accountability is impossible, there is not enough evidence to hold someone accountable. Sometimes justice is thwarted or delayed unconscionably even when there is enough evidence. Then the government should be held accountable.
Lynne Friend's murder is about all of these things. I decided to write about it in the beginning of this year but did not. I will begin writing about it one month to the minute from the time this post is published. Sixteen years is far, far too long. No more.
Anyone with a photograph of Lynne, please send it to me at this blog's email address, Publocc@gmail.com.
