The MENDOCINO COUNTRY Independent 4/2/10
County
District Attorney
•
MEREDITH LINTOTT
After
primary, general and “special” elections, in 2007 the voters of
Mendocino elected me as District Attorney. I made promises to the
people of our county that, if elected, I would make prosecution of
violent crime and protection of victims of violent crime a priority,
that I would work collaboratively with law enforcement and other
agencies to prevent crime and to protect our children, and that I would
provide ethical and responsible leadership, I have kept my promises and
ask for your vote to continue my work.
During
my tenure, murderers, child abusers, gangsters, and drug dealers have
been convicted and sent to prison. Crimes involving domestic violence
are now being prosecuted. In 2007 and 2008, all cases filed by the
District Attorney’s office were up about 11% each year over 2006. And
felony filings for 2007 and 2008 exceeded the average number of
felonies filed for the period 2000 through 2006 by 37%. I received a
recognition award from Crime Victims’ United in Sacramento in 2008 and
I am currently the Chairperson of the statewide California District
Attorneys’ Association Domestic Violence Committee. In 2009, I
reinstated the Crime Victim’s Luncheon to honor and remember the
victims of crime.
Programs like AIM (Attendance Improvement
Monitoring) launched in 2007
and IMPACT, launched in 2008, a program implemented by our Probation
Department, develops life skills for juvenile offenders. These are
steering our children away from crime and toward productive, meaningful
lives. I worked with our legislators in Sacramento in 2009 to restore
funding to important grant programs like these. And, through
interagency cooperation, I sponsored the first Intergovernmental
Agreement for crime prosecution with the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians.
Because of a rise in home invasion robberies and in an effort to make
our neighborhoods safer, I supported the passage of Measure B to limit
the amount of medical marijuana allowed to be grown.
Despite
deep budget cuts, prosecution of crimes has increased and important
training for prosecutors as well as vital support for victims of crime
has continued. Upon assuming office, I found vacant attorney positions,
which I have filled. As a result of the unionization of the attorneys,
new civil service classifications were developed and progressive,
equitable discipline has been implemented as a new concept for
previously “at will” attorneys. A key vacancy occurred due to the
criminal actions of the fiscal officer that left me in charge of
additional duties including the preparation of the 2007-2008 budget. As
a result of our negotiation of the MCM settlement funds, my office now
has funding for and has hired a prosecutor dedicated to
environmental/elder abuse crime.
Mine is a record of promises
kept and progress made toward a better safer Mendocino County for our
children and our responsible citizens. I want to continue this work and
ask for your vote of confidence.
For
more information, see www.lintott4da.org or call 972-3260.
• DAVID EYSTER
As
District Attorney, I intend to have an
"open door" policy as I value the right of media outlets, the public,
the law enforcement agencies, and others to have sufficient information
whenever possible to be able to understand why certain policies are in
place and why my staff and I have made certain decisions.
An attorney for 25 years, I have spent 22 of those
years working in the criminal law arena. I have served as high-level
homicide and violent crimes prosecutor and I am currently a successful
attorney defending the constitutional and statutory rights of clients
charged with wide-ranging allegations of criminal misconduct -- from
violent and serious felonies to medicinal marijuana defense to driving
under the influence.
Likewise, while I handle complex criminal matters,
such as white collar criminal defense, fraud, embezzlement and
insurance and worker's compensation fraud, the other attorneys in my
law firm handle real estate, personal injury, insurance bad faith and
other complex civil litigation matters.
In addition to being successful both as a prosecutor
and a private defense attorney, I have been invited at different times
to serve as a law instructor on various legal matters. I have served as
a Police Officer Standards and Training instructor at Modesto Junior
College. I was also tapped to be a legal instructor for continuing
legal education programs sponsored by the California District Attorneys
Association. Finally, I served as a search and seizure legal update
instructor for regional police officer training sponsored by the Ukiah
Police Department.
While my experience as a supervisor and courtroom
trial attorney is hard to beat, I also have more experience than others
for being responsible for "charging," the most important job in the
District Attorney's Office. With the District Attorney serving as the
gatekeeper to the criminal justice system, charging is the act of
reviewing police reports that are submitted after an alleged crime has
been investigated, considering the facts presented in the various
reports, making a decision whether additional investigation is
required, eliminating those cases with legal deficits, reviewing
criminal records, and, after all of that, ultimately making a reasoned
decision whether an individual suspect should be prosecuted and, if so,
at what level. Performing this critical job requires a deep and abiding
faith in -- and understanding of -- the rights provided all of us by
our Constitutions, not to mention an excellent working knowledge of the
California Evidence Code and the California Penal Code. In addition to
my management and trial responsibilities,
I was honored to serve as the primary charging
deputy for the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office for over
eight years. I reviewed literally thousands of cases and made decisions
that affected the lives of many, decisions for which I was always able
to articulate the reasons for and why it was in the interests of
justice. Unfortunately, this gatekeeper role is just one area where the
current administration is failing.
I respect the right of all people to have fair and
respectful treatment when they find themselves caught up in the
criminal justice system. Respect and integrity are essential
characteristics of a functional prosecutor's office.
My staff and I will be honest with the public,
victims and their families, our colleagues, and law enforcement. We
need to also be honest with ourselves. Hiding the ball and backstabbing
will not be tolerated. I will seek to foster a team approach in the
District Attorney's Office by encouraging all prosecutors and staff to
support the work of one another, an important aspect of professionalism
often lacking these days.
Finally, I pledge to do that which I did so well in
the past -- I will use my background and experience to continue to work
to improve the fairness, efficiency, and effectiveness of Mendocino
County's District Attorney Office and the justice system we serve. My
goal is that the citizens know that the District Attorney's Office is
being vigilant and working hard to make Mendocino County a safe and
just place to live and work.
Contact information is: david@eyster4da.com,
459-5551, 110 S. Main St. Willits, www.eyster4da.com
• MATT FINNEGAN
As a
Deputy District Attorney for Mendocino County, I have worked hard to
uphold our laws and keep Mendocino County safe. As a leader and
organizer of the Mendocino County Public Attorney’s Association,
community leader, father, and husband I have sought to support and
strengthen the magnificent county we all call home. I began my
professional career as a law enforcement officer and my desire
continues as your next District Attorney to protect and defend.
I am running for District Attorney because I am confident the last 10
years have prepared me to lead our hard-working county-wide staff, and
because our county needs a hands-on, experienced, strong and qualified
District Attorney.
In these tough budget times, we need to be smarter about how we use our
resources to both prosecute criminals and protect our county. We
also need better communication between the residents of our county and
the District Attorney’s office.
As your District Attorney, I will never forget that our office is here
to protect and serve you, and that our job is to keep our communities
safe and secure by not only being tough on crime, but also being
innovative and effective in preventing crime.
I hope that I can count on your vote. Thank you.
For more information, see www.
mattfinnegan4da.com, or call 272-3415