MIDDLETOWN — Challengers took shots at the District Attorney Thursday night at the Calpine Geothermal Visitor Center in Middletown during a debate for the June election.
Candidates Don Anderson and Doug Rhoades said District Attorney Jon Hopkins” office files unwinnable or unimportant cases and brought up criminal cases they said were mishandled.
About a dozen people came to the event held by LakeCoNews, Calpine and the Lake County Chamber of Commerce. Candidates addressed questions on marijuana laws, the death penalty and communication with crime victims. Candidates also answered questions about public input and involvement, openness with the public, how to protect the office from budget cuts, whether to divert small crimes from the courts and whether to charge cases based on their strength and recidivism.
Hopkins said by not prosecuting crimes the office would be “turning its back on victims” and that young prosecutors gain experience by taking tough cases to trial.
Anderson said he wants to create a citizen advisory committee to learn more about what the community thinks, how improvements could be made and how he could be a better District Attorney. The committee would not run his job as the District Attorney.
“I want to go into the community and listen to the people,” Anderson said. “You can learn so much more about a case, the community and problems, if you listen to the people.”
Hopkins said in order to learn what community members are thinking about his office he doesn”t stick his finger in the air to see which way the political wind is blowing.
“I”m in favor of public input and involvement and the manner in which it should occur is the way I”ve been conducting it for past years, to be out in the community talking to people, hearing what they have to say about the issues,” Hopkins said.
Rhoades said he wants public input, though a good amount of the general public doesn”t understand much about law.
“I”m more in favor of educating the public what the District Attorney”s Office is doing, day-by-day, case-by-case,” he said.
Anderson said after working in private practice he knows what he can do in court with money.
“Fortunately, the District Attorney”s Office has money and can put on a case no defense attorney has the ability to do,” Anderson said.
He also plans to work with the Board of Supervisors to protect his budget, but he thinks he might have to eliminate a position though the department is overrun with cases.
Hopkins said he has been working for a long time with the County Administrative Office, getting grants and has streamlined his office to save money.
“What we don”t know is what the state and the Board of Supervisors is going to do,” Hopkins said. “I want to ask them to set priorities. Criminal justice has higher priorities than other services.”
Rhoades thinks the criminal justice system should be a priority in governments” budgets, though he also thinks health services are important, he said. He wants to know what cases cost, but that shouldn”t be the deciding factor whether to prosecute. Rhoades also said there could be layoffs.
Anderson said his role as the District Attorney would be to enforce the marijuana laws, though they may soon change.
“For once I think Lake County is important,” Anderson said. “We do have some power because we”re one of the higher producers of marijuana.”
Hopkins said he doesn”t think the current marijuana legislation adequately regulates medical marijuana use, but that marijuana can negatively affect the quality of life of neighbors who grow or distribute.
Rhoades said he doesn”t think the laws in place are effective in regulating dispensaries and marijuana.
“It”s like trying to punch a cloud,” he said.
However, Rhoades said he is in support of legalizing marijuana with massive regulations and taxes.
“Marijuana is here,” Rhoades said. “It”s going to be here. It has been here. It”s like alcohol and cigarettes for some.”
Anderson thinks as long as people didn”t commit violent crimes or have a record, he said he”s in favor of diversion for low-level crimes if the situation warrants it.
“We know good people make mistakes,” he said.
Hopkins compared diverting crimes to traffic school.
“Do you never exceed the speed limit again? No. It”s a way to get out of a ticket,” Hopkins said.
The office diverts misdemeanor traffic violations such as driving on suspended a license to traffic court but not many other low-level crimes.
“I don”t see diversion programs doing anything for anybody,” he said.
Rhoades said he doesn”t think all crimes automatically warrant jail, especially for first-time offenders for minor offenses.
“I think there”s a way to take people out of the system,” Rhoades said.
Anderson said he thinks the death penalty can be a deterrent.
“Yes, generally I am in favor of the death penalty but not as it”s being administered in the state of California,” Anderson said.
He thinks the death penalty shouldn”t be used against people with developmental disabilities and those 20 years old and younger.
“I will not seek the death penalty on kids,” Anderson said. Eighteen, 19, 20, those people are kids.”
Hopkins said he supports the death penalty as the “ultimate punishment for the ultimate crime.” He said he has tried five death penalty cases, but that he didn”t pursue the death penalty against a man with developmental disabilities for a heinous crime.
Rhoades said he supports life without possibility of parole over the death penalty.
“Personally, I am not in favor of the death penalty,” Rhoades said. “I simply don”t believe in it. It”s part of California law. I will enforce California law.”
Anderson explained to the audience why they should vote for him.
“Some people may think I”m soft-spoken,” Anderson said. “But when the time comes to be aggressive, that”s how I will run the District Attorney”s Office, not as a bleeding heart liberal, as some people here may think I am.”
“What we have now is not working,” Anderson said. “There has to be a new focus.”
“I will run the office effectively, economically and aggressively,” he said.
Hopkins said voters should re-elect him because he has experience in two key areas, as a trial prosecutor and with prosecution management.
“Negotiation is the key to survival,” Hopkins said.
Rhoades said if he”s elected District Attorney he would work to make people in the county safe and feel comfortable.
“I want to make Lake County a better place,” he said.
Contact Katy Sweeny at kdsweeny@gmail.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
