Politics & Government
GCC Prosecutor Forum: James McDonnell
McDonnell answered questions from the GCC Monday
James McDonnell has served as the North Royalton City Prosecutor and an assistant prosecutor for Cuyahoga County.
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On ensuring juveniles not waive their right to counsel without consulting an attorney: They have to have lawyers. To think otherwise is crazy.
On overcharging: When I’m elected county prosecutor, overcharging will end on that day because it must. We’ve never ever overcharged anyone when I was prosecutor in North Royalton.
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On racial disparities in incarcerated individuals: It absolutely exists. Three quarters of the people in the justice center where I am every single day for the last 30 years are African Americans yet I walked into drug court two or three weeks ago and 80 percent of the people were white. The first step is to acknowledge it. The second step is to be a fair person who isn’t afraid to stand up and do something about it.
On adult and juvenile diversion: My goal will be that no juvenile enters the juvenile justice system … They should be given something like the YMCA teen mentoring program so that someone can sit down and address the issues with them and tell them where they’re going and why they’re going about it the wrong way.
Quotable: A year and a half ago when I decided to run I said your safety’s my first priority – safe from unjust convictions – and I made a distinction between those who sell drugs and those who use drugs, and I believe that those who use drugs have to be treated completely differently because it is a disease. I understand that.
Closing: I have stood for these issues and I have fought for these issues for all 30 years of my legal career. The county prosecutor position is a large job. You need someone who has the balance, temperament, and experience to do it. Fourteen years as a prosecutor – more than all the other candidates combined. Twenty-five years as a criminal defense lawyer – more than all the other candidates combined. I’ve tried 400 cases.
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