TALLAHASSEE — As the end of the long primary campaign season comes to an end, democrat contenders for State Attorney, 2nd Judicial District, give final arguments for who would best fill the shoes of the retiring State Attorney Willie Meggs.
Jack Campbell is Meggs’ Assistant State Attorney and has worked in the office since 2001. He said he has a deep wealth of knowledge of the criminal justice system and its issues (such as body cameras for police, the death penalty, drugs and sexual abuse), and can “hit the ground running.”
He said, “I understand what our community is about, what we need in criminal justice system.”
Sean Desmond, a private attorney who has also worked for the State Attorney’s Office under Meggs, claimed “We’ve had 32 years under one State Attorney and the same style of leadership is what my opponent brings to the table. We need to change it dramatically to deal with the issues (like violent crime and other serious crimes) we are facing in our community.”
Campbell, the son of the late Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell, took issue with that assertion and said, “I am not a little Willie and I am not a little Larry. I am my own man and the suggestion that I’m a continuation is just patently wrong.”
He said he will implement more technology to make the State Attorney’s office able to respond quicker and more efficiently. He also wants prosecutors more involved with the community. He said he wants citizens to “know prosecutors from your community personally before you have to know them professionally.”
“When Willie came in it was kind of Andy Griffith,” Campbell said. “Today, I have 300,000 people and I can’t know everyone so I am gonna shove my staff into the community so they can be better appendages of my office and reflect and react to demands of community as a whole.”
Desmond said the difference between him and opponent is he’s worked in the criminal justice system on both sides. He was Chief Prosecutor in Franklin County and Wakulla County and chief of the Leon County Court Division. Desmond also worked for the State Attorney’s Office under Meggs from 2001 to 2003 and again from 2009 through 2011.
“When you can see the case from both sides, you can reach justice in a better way than when you have the perspective of ‘I need to get as many convictions as I can, I need to make sure my conviction rate is as close as possible to the arrest rate’…” Desmond said.
“While numbers are important and we do need to be cognizant of them,” he continued, “I don’t think the people running through our system need to be dealt with always like numbers.”
During the campaign Meggs has characterized Desmond as not being qualified to be State Attorney.
“(It is the) worse kept secret in all of Leon County that Willie Meggs has been pushing the former sheriff’s son since he was born. I think (his criticism is) completely politically motivated.”
Desmond said that Meggs’ recommended Desmond run for judge and hired him as Chief Prosecutor. “What does it say about Meggs, if I’m not qualified?”
As the candidates rest their cases, voters make their decisions this month on who will advance to take on republican candidate Pete Williams in the general election.
Final Arguments in State Attorney Race added by Karen Murphy on
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Jack the “heir Apparent”–finally feels the need to slide from under his mentor’s wing and try to convince the public that he is his own Man . With his own mind … Who are you trying to fool? We hear and believe you will say and do what ever it takes to promote you just as your mentor has done for years / it is time for a change ….. I vote Desmond!
Don’t particularly care for either Campbell. Don’t want business as usual don’t want Jack Campbell to reign,it’s not his office and find that attitude of superatory. More of same.
Prosecute low level, low income, no harm done to others and prosecute hell out of them, but FSU athletes don’t even get charged. Hum, somebody got their hands in someone else’s
pocket!
“I’m not a little Willie”….lol….Really!?
As his pitch, Campbell says, “I am gonna shove my staff into the community.” BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Numbers and data will show the current administration over prosecutes, turns their back to restoration to voter rights, and imprisons the youth by the boatloads. How is that progress and any good for our communities? Be afraid. Very afraid if Campbell gets elected.
A vote for Jack Campbell is a vote for Willie Meggs. I find that to be pretty frightening.
“…such as body cameras for police…”
Sorry, but I am trying to make a correlation to the State Attorney office with the issues. What does the SOA have to do with any of that?
“Today, I have 300,000 people and I can’t know everyone so I am gonna shove my staff into the community so they can be better appendages of my office…”
Okay, Shove your staff. Would you or should you ‘shove’ anyone? Staff are not ‘appendages’ and it is not ‘your office’
Right on Hope. Today in fact an autistic teen was arrested on a two year old alleged incident with no one wanting to press charges.
I listened to Mr. Desmond on Bandwagon and was very impressed. I believe he is a breath of fresh air who is very much on point regarding which way the direction of this office should go.
I was perplexed as to why Mr. Campbell was a no-show at bandwagon and wonder what the reason was for his absence.
I believe Mr. Campbell over prosecutes, jails too many youths, and has a poor prosecutorial record.
Again, very impressed by Mr. Desmond.