Cosby jurors deserved privacy

How could the judge in the Bill Cosby trial conclude that it is acceptable to reveal the identities of the jurors ("Juror says vote was 10-2 to convict," Thursday)?

Does serving on a jury require citizens to surrender their privacy and, in the process, risk retaliation by supporters or detractors of the defendant or plaintiff?

Would the judge feel the same way if the defendant was a violent criminal who might persuade associates to kill those who found him guilty?

I also think that jurors should be forbidden to publicly reveal details about their deliberations after trials.

In the Cosby case, which ended in a mistrial that, for whatever inexplicable reason, Montgomery County prosecutors intend to retry, the juror who has already babbled to the media about the deliberations has probably diminished the chances of assembling anything remotely resembling an impartial jury for the second trial to nearly zero.

— Tom Durnell, Philadelphia, tdurnell1@aol.com

In the aftermath of the mistrial in Commonwealth v. William Henry Cosby, hope has been expressed in some quarters that the court will allow more of Cosby's accusers to testify at the new trial ("Strong reactions from various corners," Sunday).

Proponents of presenting such evidence against Cosby, to show a common scheme or plan, should recall the outcome of Monsignor William Lynn's original prosecution for alleged child endangerment. His conviction was vacated on appeal, as the Superior Court found the trial court had abused its discretion by admitting voluminous evidence deemed objectionably prejudicial, and he was granted a new trial. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court did not disturb that ruling.

If Cosby is found guilty upon retrial, Montgomery County taxpayers might have to cover the cost of yet a third trial, should that verdict be overturned because of excessive, unduly prejudicial evidence.

— Patrick J. Hagan, Ardmore, hegs7@comcast.net

You can easily solve Owen J. Roberts High School's dress-code conundrum by establishing a school uniform ("Girls call school dress codes sexist," Monday).

Both males and females could wear the exact same outfit — a plain, solid-color shirt, optional sweater, and khaki pants — throughout the school year. There would be no skirt or dress option. The end.

Think about how much time is being wasted by everyone involved as they argue over standards for casual street clothes that they will never agree on.

The school district doesn't need to conduct 19 meetings over the next five years trying to figure this out. Have everyone wear a boring uniform and just focus on learning.

And, yes, I fully agree that the young women are being treated unfairly by the current system.

— Alex McGrath, Lansdale

The commentary, "The health-insurance conundrum" (Monday) called free birth control "a euphemism for recreational sex." It is a way for responsible families to space births for the best outcome for mother and child. It's also the way to control family size for the number of children who can be fed, clothed, and educated.

— Virginia Gross Levin, Broomall

With the official start of summer last week, vacation plans are around the corner. Soon, families visiting the historic Wildwood boardwalk won't need to worry about inhaling secondhand smoke and will have peace of mind that their children can enjoy ice cream and games without running into smoke ("Wildwood to ban smoking on boardwalk," May 26).

The American Lung Association in New Jersey congratulates and thanks Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. and the city commissioners for making the boardwalk smokefree starting Jan. 1, 2018. Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer of men and women. Studies show that secondhand smoke causes approximately 7,330 deaths from lung cancer and 33,950 deaths from heart disease each year and is especially harmful to children. It is responsible for thousands of hospitalizations each year, causing sudden infant death syndrome and resulting in asthma attacks.

Become a champion of healthy air; visit: www.lung.org.

— Deb Brown, president and chief executive officer, American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic, Plymouth Meeting