LAKEPORT ? Attorney Doug Rhoades wants to settle cases out of court and spend more resources on drug cases, violent crimes and offenses that put the public at risk if he is elected Lake County district attorney next fall.
The Lakeport defense attorney announced his candidacy against District Attorney Jon Hopkins Thursday in a press release.
“The current administration wastes resources that should be devoted to the most serious crimes, such as drug trafficking and production, crimes against the elderly and all crimes of violence, domestic or otherwise,” Rhoades said in a release.
In this economy, resources are scarce, Rhoades said.
“We must focus on violent crimes and those that cause significant economic loss, rather than devote those resources to incidents that do not put the public at risk.”
Rhoades did not immediately return phone calls or e-mails Friday.
Hopkins said he already spends resources on violent crimes, drug offenses and felonies with victims. Two deputy district attorneys devote their time to prosecuting drug trafficking and production, Hopkins said. The office has grants to combat elder abuse, child abuse, drunken driving and domestic violence.
“Which victims should we tell that we won”t prosecute their cases because the DA decided it”s not worth the effort or it doesn”t put the public at risk?” Hopkins asked. “We already focus our efforts on victim crimes.”
For decades, district attorneys have agreed to plea bargains on misdemeanor charges, but not felonies.
“We don”t sentence bargain with felons,” Hopkins said. “We are willing to talk about dismissing some counts, but the sentencing should be what the judge decides, not what the felon agrees to.”
Hopkins, 63, plans to run again for district attorney, he said.
Hopkins has been a criminal trial lawyer for 37 years, 10 in Lake County, 20 at the district attorney”s office in Santa Cruz, and seven in L.A. as a deputy public defender, he said. Lake County voters elected him as the district attorney in 2006.
He studied political science at University of Akron in Ohio and went to California Western School of Law in San Diego, Hopkins said.
Rhoades, 56, has lived in Lake County since 1962, he said. He obtained an administration of justice degree from Mendocino College, a bachelor”s degree at Sonoma State University and his Juris Doctor degree in 1996 from Empire School of Law in Santa Rosa.
For more than 21 years, Rhoades worked for the Lake County Sheriff”s Office as a correctional officer, deputy sheriff and sergeant before he started his law practice in 1997.
Rhoades, in part, is running to “continue to serve the public,” he said.
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
