Editor:
There has been much talk in the district attorneys race about experience. Yet, experience is a weak sister compared to competence. Experience without competence often means the same problems are repeated or ignored. Case delays, frustration on the part of the victims, the accused, and judges, instead of a smoothly running system, indicates incompetence. Time taken from a busy staff to attend basic criminal procedural seminars is problematic experience working. We rightly dont use experience alone to judge success, because we usually dont measure success by how long someone tries to get things right.
We are also to believe that there is something wrong when an attorney goes from being a defense attorney to prosecutor or vice versa. Yet, it is not uncommon at all. If anything it allows the attorney an opportunity for greater understanding and discernment as to what is needed to deter crime. Discernment as to who deserves the full penalty of the law and those, including the community, who may benefit from a less harsh application of prosecutorial power. Discernment that doesnt confuse the community with uneven prosecution and heavy-handed charges for some, while weakly excusing the lack of prosecution of the most heinous of crimes of others.
A community needs a DA with the ability to visualize new ways to deal with problems when better results are sought. A DA who is able and willing to bring together both law enforcement and the judiciary to tackle stubborn problems. A DA who will not surrender his authority to the judiciary and see otherwise successful prosecutions lead to the probation of habitual and unrepentant criminals, as has been the case with the current DA.
Most of all a community deserves an individual who believes in justice, believes that justice is the cornerstone of our judicial system, and our countrys very existence., believes one doesnt serve the law by disregarding it in the pursuit of the law, and believes basic rules, such as the rules of evidence, must be followed by both the defense and the prosecution alike.
Please rlrvy Will Furse our next DA.
Art Requena
Cortez
Via CortezJournal.com