John K. Slattery

Buncraggy

Ballynacally Ennis, County Clare Ireland

June 30, 2006

Honorable James Whittemore

Sam M. Gibbons U.S. Courthouse
801 North Florida Ave.
Tampa, Florida 33602

Honorable Whittemore:

It is with great sorrow that I heard about Colonel Thomas (Tommy) Spellissys’ appearance in court recently. I am an Irish citizen living beside his parents’ home here in Ireland. I have known Tommy’s parents, aunts, uncles and cousins all my life. I knew Tommy as a young lad when he came with his family every summer to Ireland. Every year he joined with the local lads trying to play our national game, hurling. I do not think he mastered it, but he tried. Later on, through his parents and siblings we learned of his success in his national game, basketball, which he played with great distinction. In 1975 when he was appointed to West Point all of us were very proud. It was like we felt one of us were doing something that was very important and necessary at the time. We followed his career through his family again. They were very proud of him and what he was contributing to the army and his country.

In recent years I met Tommy, his wife Donna and his children many times in Florida. I am a father myself, but I fall far short of fathers like Tommy Spellissy. His whole life is centered on his wife and children. When Donna was diagnosed last year with cancer he was devastated. When he was charged with bribery it was like a bolt from the blue. In my conversations with him he never once doubted his innocence and firmly believed that he would be acquitted.

I followed the case as best I could, being over here in Ireland. With his family and internet we had many discussions about the case. I would not ever pretend to know how the court system works in America but I would presume that the case should be beyond doubt. Which in this case it seems to me that there is doubt. With the chief prosecutions witness very unreliable it seems.

Personally, I could not believe a man of Tommy Spellissys’ kind would ever knowingly commit a crime like this. With the chance of being separated from his family at this time or at any time. To me Tommy Spellissy is the personification of what an American man is to us over here, a family man of the highest caliber and very loyal and proud of his country. Your Honor it would be a great shame if his country and the government that he gave his 25 years defending let him down now.

Your Honor I ask you to consider all these things when considering this case. Every country needs men like Colonel Thomas Spellissy they should not be cast aside or persecuted unjustly.

Respectfully Yours,

John K. Slattery