By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-930554.mp3
Dallas, TX – The race for District Attorney is a high profile contest on Dallas County's November ballot. Republican Danny Clancy, a former judge and prosecutor, is challenging District Attorney, Democrat Craig Watkins. KERA's BJ Austin reports.
Democrat Craig Watkins is the first - and only - African American District Attorney in Texas. He's spent much of his first term in the spotlight for his work with the Innocence Project and more than 20 exonerations of wrongfully convicted men.
His opponent, Republican Danny Clancy applauds Watkins' Conviction Integrity Unit, but takes issue with what he calls a "celebrity" D-A.
Clancy: There's more to the District Attorney's office than exonerations. The top prosecutor of this town has got to get back to the business of prosecuting.
At a joint appearance before the North Texas Crime Commission, Watkins countered:
Watkins: We are basically leading the country as to what it means to be a prosecutor. Therein lies the reason that I get to fly all over the country and make speeches about what we do, and tell other folks how to do it because we're doing it right.
Clancy doesn't think so, and points to Watkins' recent run-ins with County Commissioners over the budget.
Clancy: If you need to know how he conducts himself in terms of his administration, all you need to do is look at the video of his appearance at Commissioners Court. You've got to be able to work with the other elected officials, not in opposition to them.
Watkins: You know my prosecutors go to court with passion every day. And I needed to return the favor and go to the Commissioners Court with passion. And so we did that. We were successful. That's what I consider leadership, not to go along to get along.
Clancy began his career as a Dallas County prosecutor, then eight years as a judge. He says he's the qualified candidate in this race.
Clancy: You'd like to think that the top prosecutor in one of the largest jurisdictions in the country at some point in their career had actually walked into a courtroom and actually prosecuted a case. I began my career in the District Attorney's office. I will personally handle the most serious violent offenses that come across my desk.
Craig Watkins began his career as a defense attorney - setting up a private practice on Martin Luther King Boulevard near Fair Park. He says he's been an innovator - updating policies and programs. Watkins says he's re-defining the job of District Attorney.
Watkins: We are in a position to lead the state and this nation on what it means to be a prosecutor because we have restored credibility. We also implemented a cold case unit, a gang unit, a sexual assault unit, a forensic evidence recovery unit.
The campaign has been contentious. Watkins criticized Clancy for defending the killer of a UNT student. Clancy points to Watkins' role in a ten year old girl's request that her step father not face charges in a sexual assault case. Clancy claims Watkins dragged his feet on an investigation of two Constables because they were Democrats. Watkins points to "boxes of evidence" his office turned over to a special prosecutor in this case.
Watkins says he has a 99% conviction rate, the highest ever. Clancy says plea bargains shouldn't count.
Dallas Bar Association members Damita San Germano and Philip Kingston say this is an important election for a number of reasons.
San Germano: The D-A can make a great difference in your crime rate; how they work with police, how they work with commissioners; how people are prosecuted, the jail population - a number of things.
Kingston: District Attorney Watkins is one of the first Democrats to come into office. And I think it's going to be a very important public referendum on how we think he did.
And this election will determine whether Democrats can hold onto the courthouse: the judgeships and D-A's office, which they swept in 2006.
Craig Watkins campaign: http://craigwatkins.org/2010/
Danny Clancy campaign: http://dannyclancyforda.com/about.php