Matuszak Did a Lot, but Pets Were Off-Limits

Contrary to what was stated in a column by Mike Downey (June 19), John Matuszak was not a dog killer. The myth originated in “Snake,” Ken Stabler’s autobiography. Matuszak responded in his own book, “Cruisin’ with the Tooz,” to Stabler’s story: “Total, unadulterated fiction. Never happened . . . I love dogs and that made me furious.”

While I think most of Downey’s column was fair, he left a false impression of Matuszak on this one significant point. There are a lot of people (and Matuszak was one of them) who don’t think killing pets is funny.

DAVID RAATZ

Redondo Beach