In Limington, on June 10, 2016, a man disappeared from his home and was found on his neighbor’s property, two days later, almost decapitated under a pile of rotting deer carcasses.

The missing man was no longer the center of attention; Bruce Akers became the center of attention. No expense was spared to ensure his rights were not infringed. The state of Maine provided him with two different sets of lawyers. After almost four years, in February 2020, there was a trial at which many expert witnesses testified for Bruce Akers. He was found guilty after about five hours of deliberation.

At that point, we thought we might be able to forget about Bruce Akers – no such luck. The state of Maine provided him with a top-notch appeals lawyer and his argument was so compelling that the Maine Supreme Judicial Court overturned his conviction and voided all the evidence, including his admission of guilt.

So, six years later, we’re still talking about Bruce Akers. The latest news is that the state of Maine has dropped the charge and he has been released into the public. Public safety apparently was not a consideration.

Let’s go back, before June 10, 2016, and talk about the missing man: Doug Flint. He left behind his children, grandchildren, dad, brothers, family and friends. It appears that the state of Maine has forgotten him, and it looks like the rights of a man who had been convicted of murder are more important than the victim’s loss of life.

Walter Flint
Gloucester, Va.