JonesWrightForDA

You are exactly right. I believe that conflating sex work and sex trafficking is dangerous and ineffective. Sex trafficking is clearly defined as involving coercion, fraud, force, or underage individuals. Sex trafficking is a serious crime and if we want to crack down on it, we must first understand what it is and what it is not. Reality says that some people voluntarily participate in sex work. This is important so that we do not cast a wide net and take time and resources away from combatting sex trafficking. With regards to SESTA/FOSTA, law enforcement was using Backpage and other sites to monitor activities online that now have been driven deeper into the shadows. We are making it harder for sex workers to do their jobs safely and are putting them in more danger. As DA, I will care about keeping communities truly safe for everyone (not just the people I see as deserving of safety), instead of what my conviction rate is. This is something that is a priority for me.

Hi, ocrespo42! I have a plan to release body cam footage in an established timeframe. As DA, my priority will be transparency and accountability. This is but one part of it. The public should know that they can expect body worn camera footage in a timely manner according to a set policy. There would be a built-in exception to the general timeline for the release of footage if it is part of an ongoing investigation that would be compromised by the release of such footage. The general rule, however, would be to release the footage to the public in a set timeframe.

As a public defender (that has practiced in different counties and different jurisdictions) I see first-hand how the policies that come out of the DA's Office affect real people. I represent people, not numbers, and that is the perspective that I will bring to the DA's Office. A DA's Office's conviction rate is no measure of success. Rather, it must be how many children did we keep from ever becoming justice-involved and how many people did we help get on track so that they never return to the justice system. That is the true measure of success. We have seen time and again how my opponent's career as a lifelong prosecutor has clouded her judgment. Her office, under her watch, opposed bills to help children who were being human trafficked and HT survivors get rid of their convictions, whereas my association (the CA Public Defender Association) made the right call on these same bills (and more) because we have a less myopic view. It is because of my diverse work experience and my personal experiences within the justice system that give me a balanced perspective, one that my opponent lacks.

Hi there! As a defense attorney, I see the effects of prosecutorial misconduct every single day. The way to prevent it is through hiring practices, making sure that the prosecutors who are hired understand that justice is not about winning or losing. I will have ongoing training on ethics and the role of the prosecutor. I will also make sure that there is accountability when prosecutors engage in misconduct. As it stands now, most prosecutorial misconduct goes unchecked by the bench, the State Bar, and DA Offices. This must change.

There is a lot to say about the Crowe case but I will say this: This case is a prime example of a miscarriage of justice. Young boys were falsely accused, illegally interrogated, and imprisoned for months because of a haphazard prosecution theory that blinded the person who was to seek justice. To this day, the killer roams free leaving no justice for the victims. Justice failed this family because of a "win-at-all-costs" mentality of the prosecutor on the case. My opponent did not give Brady (exculpatory) evidence over to the defense attorney (which is a tremendous violation) and did not test DNA evidence from the start. What's more is that to this day she has not apologized to the family. She hasn't even taken responsibility for her role in the case. This is a failure on so many levels. We can't talk about victim care only when it serves the prosecution. The parents, grandmother, and siblings of Stephanie Crowe are victims and have never been acknowledged as such by the very person who mishandled the Crowe case--my opponent.

Hi, MoscowInDecember! I actually do not smoke marijuana. However, I fully support the implementation of laws that provide for the legalization of cannabis for adults. There are many reasons legalization versus criminalization makes sense.