03/04/10

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ The Los Angeles police chief and district
attorney have released a letter defending their exhibit of evidence
from famous crimes.

The letter was issued Thursday after the son of Robert F.
Kennedy denounced them in a Los Angeles Times op-ed piece for
planning to show the suit the senator wore when he was
assassinated. Maxwell Kennedy called it ``a macabre publicity
stunt.''

Chief Charlie Beck and District Attorney Steve Cooley say they
never intended to compound the grief of murder victims' families.
Beck and Cooley say they sought to depict the horror of homicide in
hopes of deterring violence.

Thursday was the last day the exhibit was open to the public at
a Las Vegas casino hotel. Police say thousands have waited in line
as long as two hours to see it.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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