Judge Henderson

Re “Judge No Stranger to Controversy,” Dec. 16: Kudos to Jenifer Warren for a piece that reflects a fair portrait of Chief U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson and his personal, legal and judicial background. At a time when the likes of Assemblyman Bernie Richter (R-Chico) and Gov. Pete Wilson are garnering headlines with their “knee-jerk reactions” and thinly veiled personal attacks on Judge Henderson, it is refreshing to see The Times publish a more thoughtful picture of the philosophy and temperament of this experienced and successful jurist.

I was a high school football teammate of Judge Henderson’s in the early 1950s at Thomas Jefferson High School in Los Angeles. In addition to his football prowess, he was also a fine baseball shortstop, and even at that time, a man of fairness, integrity, good humor and principle. He was down to earth, unassuming and unspoiled by his successes.

The decision rendered by Judge Henderson in the Prop. 209 matter was based strictly on the law and not politics or his personal ideology.

ALAN WILKINS

Los Angeles

* It is an affront to justice and common sense that Henderson, a liberal black jurist, former board member of the ACLU and vocal advocate of affirmative action, was in a position to judge the validity of Prop. 209, the anti-affirmative action measure.

As with most things which are unfair, the justifying logic is often twisted. An interpretation of Judge Henderson’s opinion could lead to the perverse conclusion that it is now unconstitutional for a state not to discriminate.

JOHN E. TROMMALD

Long Beach