>>
Welcome to a Voice of the Voter presentation.-
A debate featuring those who want to be the next Monroe county
district attorneys.-
For the next hour to two people who want to head the
prosecutors office will field questions are the media and from
our voice voss panel.-
They are Ann Marie Taddeo the Republican and conservative party
candidate, and mike green, the Democrat and crime prevention
party candidate.-
Now here is the debate moderator, Michael Caputo.-
-
>> Here is what we know about the race.-
After November 4 there will be someone new leading the county
prosecutor's office.-
Howard rolen has called it kits quits.-
What we don't know and what you will decide is who will replace
him.-
Welcome to another Voice of the Voter between the Monroe county
district attorney candidate Ann Marie Taddeo and mike green.-
Voice of the Voter is a media collaboration between WXXI,
WOKR-TV NewsSource 13 and the democratic democratic.-
-- Democrat and chronicle.-
With us on the panel is Joseph Spector political reporter for
the Democrat and chronicle.-
And Evan Dawson news reporter for WOKR-TV.-
The two candidates will alternate in answering each question
and responding to the comments made.-
A coin flip determined who would get the initial question.-
Tonight that will be Ms. Taddeo.-
Mr. green will give an initial rebuttal, then Mrs. Taddeo will
have a chance for a final rebuttal.-
The order reverse for the next question.-
Each candidate has two minutes for the initial answer a minute
third seconds for the initial rebuttal and 30 seconds for the
final rebuttal.-
Mike green is the current first assistant district attorney.-
He has been in the D.A. office since 1987 and has dealt with
cases ranging from D.W.I. to nonfelony to felony charges and
lead prosecutor in more than 30 homicide cases, he is married
and has two children.-
Ann Marie Taddeo was an assistant district attorney in the
Rochester area and also she was a family court hearing
examiner.-
In 1992 she became a family court judge and two years later
she
became the supervising judge.-
She gave you the bench to run for this position.-
She lives this Penfield is married with two children.-
Now we will have the opening statements.-
Also determined by a coin toss.-
These ar minute long and Mrs. Taddeo will begin.-
-
>> Thank you, mike and good afternoon.-
I'm Ann Marie Taddeo.-
I'm the Republican conservative candidate for the office of
Monroe county district attorney.-
Thank you for the opportunity to present my ideas of what this
office can and should be.-
Everyone deserves the right to feel safe of.-
Safe at our homes, our jobs and in our neighborhoods.-
But unfortunately most of us don't feel that way this our
community any longer.-
Rochester is now the murder capital of New York state with a
per capita rate higher than that of even New York City.-
As a former prosecutor and judge I have seen the devastation
that crime wreaks on victims and the community in general.-
I have many ideas which will bring freshness to the office and
initiatives that will return the community to neighborhoods
and
people.-
Rather than terrorists who now, I'm sorry.-
The fact is my credentials are unique.-
I can offer many ideas on how we can make our community a -
>> I would like to thank Voice of the Voter and the voters.-
I have the qualifications, experience, judgment and integrity
to be the next district attorney.-
16 years ago I came to the district attorney's office as a new
attorney.-
I have had many opportunities to lead.-
But -- to leave but I said stayed because of the satisfaction
I
get helping crime victims and serving and protecting the
community.-
I prosecuted and convicted hundreds of violent felons and
murderers, bringing justice to citizens across the community.-
I have a personal conviction rate on cases I have prosecuted
of
over 95%.-
I have 12 years of experience as an administrator in the
district attorney's office.-
The last 2 1/2 years as first assistant I have led office to
a
95% conviction rate on our felony prosecutions.-
We have obtained convictions on 42 of 44 homicide trials.-
I have proven that I have the experience, the judgment and the
integrity to be our next district attorney.-
-
>> Thank I, Mr. green.-
The first question coming from Joseph Spector.-
To Mrs. Taddeo.-
-
>> There's been a series of attack ads by the candidates.-
Do you feel the campaign has become neglect kitchens and taken
away from the important issues of the campaign?-
-
>> I certainly don't feel that attack ads is the right
word.-
My advertisements are designed to instruct the community about
what goes on in the district attorney's office and what needs
to be corrected.-
If it A's negative it because the office is performing so
poorly and the -- that's the sad fact.-
I think on the other side there's a lot of misrepresentation
about my record as a prosecutor which I find unfortunate and
hope I get the chance to talk about my record.-
But I don't think they are attack ads.-
I believe that my records are true.-
The statistics are true.-
And they are meant to inform the community about what needs
to
be done.-
-
>> I have run a positive campaign.-
I have a record that will allow me to do that.-
The fact of the matter is our office has a 95% conviction rate
on felony prosecutions.-
The fact of the matter is I have been a prosecutor 16 years.-
I have convicted hundreds of violent felons and murderers.-
I have a 95% conviction rate.-
The commercials that I have run highlight my trial experience
and my record of success compared with my opponent's felony
trial record.-
Those commergs fairly portray the facts in the race and the
facts are that I have the experience as a prosecutor.-
This is not family court.-
We are dealing with adult criminals who commit who are render
dust crimes and often need to be sentenced in severe ways.-
We are talking about murderers who get life sentences, not
female court cases where people get placement.-
-
>> Let me tell you, if you have been burglarized or robbed
by a
Juvenile as opposed to an adult you are still a victim and the
cases are treated very seriously.-
Let's go back to the ads.-
The fact that they tout a 95% conviction rate for the overall
office is absurd.-
You only need to pick up the paper and look at the news to see
that the crime rate is out of control.-
As far as not being negative, this portrayal of my career as
a
prosecutor leaves out most of my experience and is a complete
fabrication.-
-
>> The next question from Evan Dawson to Mr. green first.-
-
>> I will touch on her record as a prosecutor.-
Your ads have attacked her record as a prosecutor but she has
not had the opportunity like you have over many years to
develop a large set of numbers and case.-
Is it fair to take a limited set of numbers and present them
as
a career regard record -
>> My ads lay out the facts and the facts are as an assistant
district torn prosecuting adult criminals I have 88 felony
trial convictions including 37 convictions for homicide or
attempted homicides.-
My opponent has one conviction of an adult felon.-
That was for a D.W.I. case.-
Those are simply the facts.-
The fact that my opponent chose to leave the district
attorney's office after three years is a decision that she made
and I respect.-
But we are running for the position of district attorney and
we
are going to prosecute adults.-
And the fact that I have done that and I have that experience
and my opponent has never prosecuted homicides is information
that this public ought to have in order to make their decision
as to who is qualified to be the next district attorney.-
I have been to the scene of hundreds of homicides.-
I have worked with the police, I have worked with crime
victims.-
I have worked with this community to prosecute those cases,
lock those murderers up for the rest of their lives and bring
crime victims sense of justice.-
I have worked with families and friends of murdered children,
I
have worked with Audrey Smith as she found this organization.-
I sit on the board of that organization.-
I work with project exile, project safe neighborhoods to reduce
homicides.-
You don't get that depth of experience unless you have been
a
prosecutor for years.-
Howard Jones was in the office 15 years.-
I don't think we have ever had a district attorney who never
prosecuted the homicide case.-
I think the voters have to be informed of those facts before
they can make an intelligent decision.-
-
>> I don't blame him for demeaning my experience because
it is
fairly unique.-
I was a successful felony prosecutor in Brooklyn and who is
of
them were violent crimes, robberies, burglaries, sexual
assaults.-
The work I did here my felony assignment was with the most
sensitive cases with the victims of child abuse.-
But beyond that in my 12 years as judge I sat on the bench and
presided over hundreds, perhaps thousands of serious matters
including homicide, robberies, arson, stabbing, all types of
serious matters involving child abuse and domestic violence.-
I had to make decisions about the defense, I had to make
decisions about the prosecution.-
I did this every single day.-
I have more courtroom experience now than my possess point
could ever hope to have.-
I won't bother to list the number of organizations I have been
with but community involvement is very important.-
I can offer that as well.-
-
>> What we need to be clear about is this is not family
court
that we are running for.-
The experience that my opponent speaks of in New York was
family court experience.-
We are talking about prosecuting adults who commit adult crimes
who need to be dealt with as adults.-
I have 16 years experience doing that.-
My opponent has three years.-
That is the bottom line.-
-
>> I have the next question going to you Mrs. Taddeo.-
What degree does the county prosecutor's office, how
responsible is it for the violence, for the violent crime
rate?-
What is the ultimate responsibility?-
-
>> The ultimate responsibility is to take the arrest,
the
police officers have made, and turn them that convictions,
which this office is not doing.-
Once again I will tell you that the conviction rate for violent
felony offenses is not 95%, it is 46%.-
If you go to the New York State Department of criminal justice
services you will see only one county in this state has a lower
conviction rate than Monroe county.-
This means that the criminals get no justice, the community
gets no justice.-
They get a slap on the wrist.-
They don't go to jail.-
This office is a failure.-
If you look in the last seven years, we have never raised
higher than 55, which means that criminals continue to go
free.-
Defendants are not convicted.-
The work the police officers do and the arrests they make does
not translate in convictions.-
This is why the largest union has supported me.-
-
>> The city of Rochester has the highest homicide rate
in the
state.-
The county of Monroe has the low he is violent crime rate of
any major upstate community.-
It is the same district attorney's office that prosecutes cases
in the city and prosecutes cases in the county.-
It an certified to -- it absurd to say we cause crime.-
We are looking for the cause of the homicide rate you should
look at the fact that Rochester has the highest child poverty
rate than any city in the State of New York, look at the
breakdown of families, the fact of the matter is the district
attorney's office and police department have effectively fought
crime.-
We had homicide rates of between 60% and -- 60 and 70 homicide
a year culminating with 68 in 1993.-
We have brought that down.-
Four years ago we had 28 homicides.-
The last two years the homicides have been around 40 or 41
homicides with 43 this year.-
We have reduced the number of homicides significantly.-
We are working on projects currently which will reduce those
homicides further.-
My opponent has continually distorted the success of the
district attorney's office.-
She knows that the number she is use something a number that
is
skewed to clean up a backlog of old cases.-
The division of criminal justice services is reported, has
reported that the district attorney's office's conviction rate
for felony prosecutions, indictments in Superior Court
information is 95%.-
-
>> 30 seconds.-
-
>> One way we can attack poverty in the social ills that
sometimes cause crime is to have a prosperous community.-
With crime you cannot have economic development.-
The fact of the matter is that to say that homicide is not a
problem in the community is an absolute lie.-
Everyone picks up the newspaper and sees what's going on.-
And if there is one homicide , it is one homicide too many.-
-
>> The next question comes from Joe expector -- Spector.-
-
>> What specific steps could you take as district attorney
to
improve the city's crime rate?-
-
>> I think that the projects we are working on now, project
exile and safe neighborhoods are two examples of the type of
projects that this community needs to address our problems.-
Project safe neighborhoods and project exile both involve
bringing the community together to solve our problems.-
In project exile we are working as a partner with the U.S.
Attorney's Office, the district attorney's office, state and
Lawal law enforcement officials.-
They meet every week to review all of the gun arrests that take
place in the county of Monroe.-
Decisions are made as to whether or not those cases can best
be
prosecuted in state court or federal court.-
We work cooperatively to track down where the guns have come
from and to go off the source of those guns.-
We have taken over 500 guns off of the street as a result of
project exile.-
If you are looking for reasons why the number of homicides has
decreased by over 20 homicides a year since 1993, you can look
at those 500 guns.-
All of us know those guns would have been responsible for
homicides were they still out on the streets in the hands of
the criminals.-
In this morning's paper you can read about the latest project
that we are working on.-
The police departments, district attorney's office, U.S.
Attorney's Office, this time working with the Rochester
institute of technology and David Kennedy from Harvard
developed a plan to reduce the violence in the city.-
We stopped with a group on Thurston row.-
There was a homicide, we arrested the individual, convicted
him
and September him to prison for life.-
We went after the group of people that are terrorizing the
neighborhood on Thurston road.-
They were taken off the street, locked up and they are being
product prosecuted.-
This is being duplicated throughout the city and will be an
effective tool to fight homicides.-
-
>> Justs as an aside we have 10 more homicides in the
metropolitan area of Boston that we are not doing that well.-
Project safe neighborhoods, project exile, these are excellent
projects but they are federal projects and the fact is that
we
need new things, we need fresh ideas in the district attorney's
office if we are going to reduce the at of violent crime and
crime in general in our community.-
I suggested a career criminal bureau which the district
attorney used to have that targets those repeat oompeders who
are not getting the -- offenders that are not getting the
sentences.-
He suggested protection zones very similar to the idea where
mike talked about where you zero in on neighborhoods hardest
hit by crimes and ask those people what kind of protection they
would lick.-
The fact is police and sheriffs often target neighborhoods,
blacks, specific houses.-
The problem is they make the arrests, they do their job but
nothing comes out on the conviction end.-
-
>> 30 seconds.-
-
>> Go down to Thurston avenue and ask the residents there
whether they care who sponsors this program.-
The fact of the matter is this is a local program working for
local residents.-
At 6:00 tonight I was over at 174 Thurston road in a church
talking to residents there.-
And to a person they were overjoyed that this project helped
their neighborhood.-
This is a local program with local police and local prosecutors
helping our citizens.-
-
>> Next question from Evan Dawson for Ms. Taddeo.-
-
>> Let me go back to the idea of experience.-
That has been a major theme in the campaign from both
candidates.-
I want to go back to something you said a few moments ago.-
You said you have more courtroom experience than your opponent
could hope to have.-
Clearly Mr. green has more experience as a natural prosecutor
but I'm secureous as to how your experience as a family court
judge trumps his.-
-
>> I think most people would agree that being a judge
is a very
special thing and I don't see the difference.-
I resent the demeaning tone in his voice when he talks about
it
is only family court.-
If you are victimized by a child who will be treated in the
family court system it makes no difference.-
God forbidden you should ever have your wallet stolen or car
stonen.-
It makes no difference to you how old the person was.-
The fact is that when you are a family court judge you see many
horrible things.-
You see -- I spent one week where we saw nothing but gang
related arson cases.-
And they are serious matters.-
To some of the child abuse and domestic violence were horrific
and I was not impressed with the prosecution.-
I felt the victims were largely ignored and cases not taken
seriously in criminal court.-
Frankly, family court offered them as much protection as they
could.-
But these -- being a judge is a very serious responsibility.-
I saw thousands of cases and had to make decisions each day.-
Robberies, stabbings, homicides.-
And I frankly resent being put down the way it has been like
somehow only adult defendants count in the criminal justice
system.-
-
>> To make the record clear I have never demeaned family
court
nor would I do that.-
That is very important.-
I have a great deal of respect for the people who work hard
in
this court each day.-
But the fact of the matter is it is a completely different
story from prosecuting adults in adult court.-
When you are dealing with adults you are dealing with the
homicides, rapes, robberies, people going to prison for life.-
You are dealing with the death penalty.-
Those are issues that are not present in family court.-
I have the experience that a district attorney needs.-
I have been to the scene of over 100 homicides helping the
police conduct investigations.-
You can't learn that in a book.-
You can't learn it it from talking to someone.-
The only way you learn that is to be there and to do it.-
I have worked with thousands of crime victims helping them
through some of the most traumatic times in their lives.-
I have prosecuted and convicted some of the most dangerous
criminals in our community.-
I have successfully prosecuted serial rape I wases, capital
murders, burglaries, robberies, every other type of felony
case.-
That type of experience can only be gained by working in a
prosecutor's office for a sustained poofed.-
-- period of time.-
-
>> I find that is very one dimensional approach to a
complicated job.-
As a court administrator I participated in the state level when
we began making policyless about how death penalty cases would
be prosecuted, we talked about jury reform and I was in on all
the of discussions when we talked about the disaster that
Monroe county had become regarding the back combrup of old
cases.-
-
>> When we state the charge that the D. A.'s office uses
plea
bargains readily in high crimes.-
-
>> I would say whoever makes that charge doesn't know
the true
facts.-
The fact is first of all we get convictions on 95% of the cases
where a grand jury says there's enough evidence for an
indictment or where a prosecutor's information is filed.-
The secondly, we get convictions to the top counts ofs no
serious crimes 90%.-
Time on those cases.-
The state average is between 50% and 60%.-
We are almost 40 points above the state average in getting
pleas to the top count on the charges.-
The job of the district attorney is to review cases, look at
the evidence and determine what charges the evidence will
support.-
The job of the district attorney is not to rubber stamp every
case that comes in the door or every charging decision that
a
police department makes.-
Sometimes the evidence supports the charges that the police
bring.-
Sometimes it doesn't.-
That's my job as an assistant district attorney and it will
be
my job as district attorney to be an independent body that
reviews those cases and it makes decisions not on public
opinion or not on what sounds good but it makes decisions based
on the evidence that we have before us.-
That's what the office does and when the grand jury says the
evidence supports a felony charge and files an indictment, 95%
of the time we get convictions object those cases.-
And 90% of the time there are no plea bargains.-
There are convictions.-
When you talk about plea bargains you have to keep in mind
sometimes they are the tool that allow us to get some of the
most dangerous criminals off our streets.-
The major drug dealers in the -- and the murderers are often
arrested and convicted based on information that we get as a
result of plea bargains.-
Which demonstrates the need for each case to be viewed based
on
the facts of the case and decisions to be made based on
evidence and law.-
-
>> Ms. Taddeo.-
-
>> My opponent's answer is an insult.-
River police officer that has made an arrest in the past year
he says only 46% of those arrests result in conviction and what
he has told you is that hardly any of their work was any good.-
The fact of the matter is let's look at Louise Martinez,
charged with 22 serious crimes and pled to one minor crime was
given three weekends in jail and then instead of being in state
prison held someone up, put a gun to them and was caught by
the
police and is on trial for robbery in the first degree.-
Those are the kinds of plea bargains they make, the kinds of
deals that come out of their office that contribute to the
revolving door of the criminal justice system.-
There was only one of several examples we had, but it was one
of the worst.-
The fact of the matter is wherever I go police officers told
me
they are dissatisfied.-
A woman who was charged with 17 grand theft auto pled to one.-
Are you telling me that there was no evidence in any of the
other cases, or perhaps they got some valuable information that
took a worst predator off the street than Martinez this I don't
think so.-
-
>> Third seconds.-
-
>> The Martinez case, he was arrested based on statements
that
his accomplices made.-
The police are allowed to arrest on that evidence.-
You cannot get an indictment or conviction based on that
evidence.-
There was no evidence to support an indictment or a conviction
in that case.-
My opponent had the police reports in front of her on the
commercial she ran and I challenge her right now to tell you
what specific piece of evidence she found in those police
reports that would support a conviction.-
Because as a prosecutor with 88 felony trial convictions I can
tell that you evidence was not there in that case.-
-
>> Mr. Spector has the next question to Mrs. Taddeo.-
-
>> You mentioned this earlier but you talk about creating
a
career criminal bureau to ensure that felons are not constantly
returned to the streets.-
Why that program?-
Why is that such an important program to implement?-
-
>> We knee that it is really a small group of criminals
committing most of the crimes.-
And by targeting those people you can get them off the street
and keep them off the street by not offering they will
sweetheart deals.-
You make sure that they go behind bars and they stay there.-
You know a career criminal when it walks in the door and it
is
not always the high profile case that will put that person
away.-
I have spoken to assistant D. A.'s who used to work in the
office and they worked in the career criminal bureau which has
been merged with another bureau.-
They tell me it was a very successful method of targeting
particular individuals when they come in and they are charged
with a case and they have a past record.-
What is the charge, it could be perhaps ought though theft,
a
credit card.-
It doesn't necessarily have to be a violent crime.-
But it is an important crime because it's the one that persons
that person over the top.-
We know that that person is also committing other crimes.-
And that is the one you need to focus on and get off the
streets.-
No plea bargains, no deals.-
Ask for the stiffest sentence.-
-
>> Joe, the reality of the situation is we took the career
criminal bureau and violent felony bureau, looked at them and
decided that we wanted our most experienced and most capable
trial attorneys trying both the violent felons and career
criminals.-
Those are the cases that needed the attention of their best
attorneys.-
But rather than have our attorneys spread between those
bureaus, we combined the bureaus so we could have our best
trial attorneys targeting both career criminals and violent
felons.-
That's what is happened.-
In the last 2 1/2 years we have had 15 case where is people
got
life sentences under the three strikes and you are out law in
New York for committing crimes other than murder or a drug
felony.-
In fact, our office has prosecuted those cases so vigorously
this year we had a case where we obtained a prosecution and
conviction for grand larceny, the defendant received a life
sentence when we pursued persistent felon status, and the judge
reversed the conviction -- not reversed, but reversed the steps
because he felt it was too harsh.-
So to accuse our office of being soft on career criminals is
to
ignore reality.-
-
>> Ms. Taddeo, 30 seconds.-
-
>> I believe you need a special unit with the best and
brightest attorneys focusing on those criminals who continue
to
prey on society most frequently.-
-
>> The next question to Evan Dawson.-
Given to mike green on the death penalty.-
-
>> Actually for both of you.-
So we will start with mike.-
Prosecutors have pursued the death penalty in this state pretty
infrequently when we see the cases.-
I'm curious as to both of you when is it appropriate to pursue
the death penalty and how would you evaluate those criteria?-
-
>> It is funny you phrase the quo that way because the
capital
defenders office often accuses us to be the Texas or Florida
of
New York state so it depends object your perspective .-
But the fact is that the death penalty is the law of the state
of insurance right now and as district attorney you take an
oat
to -- oath to up hold the law.-
I have looked at citizens in the eye and convinced them to
impose the death penalty on someone who committed four
murders.-
I know what is involved with the death penalty.-
I have sat with Howard Relin 13 times as we reviewed the facts
and circumstances of various cases and decided whether or not
to impose the death penalty.-
Again, that is experience that you can't get by reading a book
or talking to somebody.-
You need to consider all of the facts and circumstances of a
case.-
You need to consider the type of crime, you need to consider
the quality of the proof that you have.-
You need to consider the background and record of the person
who committed the crime.-
You need to talk to the victim's family and apprise them of
what's involved with the capital case and what is involved with
the capital appeal.-
They are going to be the people who have to leave with the
anguish 10 or 15 years through the process.-
And it is important they be accurately informed of what's
involved with the process and what to expect.-
It is only after you have gathered all of that information that
you can begin to make a decision as to whether or not a case
is
appropriate to seek the death penalty.-
-
>> Certainly our society considers murder the most heinous
of
crimes and the death penalty an appropriate punishment in some
circumstances.-
You need to look at what happened during an incident, how was
the murder committed.-
In other words, but what is the background of the defendant.-
What type of crime was it.-
A crime of passion or is this a person with violent past?-
Look at the effect to the community.-
There are sometimes events that truly shock us and make us
afraid.-
You need to speak then with the victim's family and their
wishes should be given great consideration.-
It is a serious decision, but it is the law of the State of
New
York and it is an appropriate answer in many circumstances.-
It does bring justice to the victim and to the victim's
family.-
-
>> I can tell the citizens of this community that under
my
administration the death penalty will never be used as a
political toy.-
I think it is completely inappropriate for anyone, either the
district attorney or someone who wants to be district attorney,
to stand outside the office and call for the death penalty in
a
case where the police haven't finished their investigation,
the
grand jury hasn't hurried the case and you haven't talked to
the victim's family.-
The death penalty can't be used for politics.-
-
>> Mrs. Taddeo will have the next question.-
I want to ask more about the death penalty.-
Are you happy with the way the office currently reviews these
cases?-
You like the way they are doing it?-
-
>> I don't know if happy or unhappy is the right
characterization.-
When you see some of the crimes that occur you wonder why the
death penalty is not invoked more often.-
But I understand that this are some limitations and there are
things that go on with the family that perhaps I don't know
about.-
However, I will say that there are districts in the state that
do not use it at all and refuse to use it.-
And that I think violates the law.-
Would I use it more or less, no, river case has to be evaluated
as it comes N. I don't think it is fair to rate or rank a place
at this point.-
-
>> Would you change the way it is used?-
-
>> No, I can tell you from firsthand experience that cases
are
thoroughly reviewed before any decision is made.-
I have presented cases to Howard for his review and been
involved in that review process when other attorneys have
presented them.-
And I can tell you that that review is a thorough review of
refuse I fact and circumstance of the case.-
And the facts of the crime, the facts and circumstances
surrounding the backgrounds of the person who is alleged to
have committed the crime, the strength of the case, the impact
on the community, the victim's feelings,.-
That type of thorough review process has to take place.-
The death penalty is the most important and most solemn
decision that a district attorney is called upon to make, and
that decision can only be made after fair and thoughtful review
of a case.-
-
>> Ultimately the jury has to make the decision.-
It is up to the district attorney to present a proper set of
facts.-
-
>> Mr. Spector the next question to Mr. green.-
-
>> There's been talk about different ways to improve the
office
or new programs or initiatives that you want to pursue.-
If you are elected what would be the first thing you would
pursue, the first initiative you would go after if you were
elected.-
-
>> I think we have had tremendous success prosecuting
homicide
cases.-
As I indicated before in the last two years we have had
convictions on 42 of 44 homicide trials.-
The reason for that success is the cooperation that I have
established and my predecessors have established with the
homicide investigators.-
I get paged and go to the scene of each homicide.-
I recall the homicide where the 10-year-old boy was killed.-
I remember going to that scene, looking a the that 10-year-old
boy in the driveway and thinking of my 10-year-old daughter
at
home.-
That type of cooperation where you are out at the scene,
working with the victim's family, working with the police hand
in hand from the time the crime happens right through until
the
time an arrest is made, then once an arrest is made the
investigators work with us right lie trial.-
I want to take that type of cooperation and that type of
commitment and relationship between the prosecutor's office
and
the police department and move that to other areas of
prosecution.-
I think that model can work well with major drug cases and I
think that model can work well with other violent crimes.-
We started to do that.-
Our community prosecution program put a prosecutor in Clinton
section.-
We just received grant money from New York state for two
full-time prosecutors in that program.-
We can put a prosecutor on the east side of the city and the
west side to Bork more closely with the police departments and
with the citizens of this community.-
As I said before, I think that the future of prosecution and
the future of our community is in all of us coming together
and
working together and using our resources in the most efficient
way to address our problems.-
I will pursue community prosecution and I will pursue greater
cooperation between police and prosecutors.-
-
>> Ms. Taddeo.-
-
>> The first thing I will do is take a look at the good
-- take
a look at the office and see how they are doing.-
I believe the system is outdated so I will look at other
district attorney's offices the ones that more successfully
practice to see what they are doing to get the job done.-
I believe that outreach will be one of the most important
things I can achieve during the firstier I'm district
attorney.-
I believe that the neighborhood protection zones will empower
the neighborhoods to tell me where where you the need is
greatest and best achieve the prosecution and community
protection.-
Again I believe in the the criminal program but thereby it goes
to the bureau system that I think needs to be revamped.-
It is ironic, I have been preaching community outreach and the
need to get federal dollars since I started this campaign and
all of a sudden 12 days before the election they are given a
grant and I think that is a wonderful thing.-
I really think is an excellent idea to bring money from the
federal government which always seems to have unlimited funds
available for criminal prosecution.-
I will continue in that route.-
-
>> My opponent has been preaching, I have spent the last
two
years obtaining state and federal grant money for these
programs.-
Secondly, the advantage I have because of my experience is I
don't have to start that review process.-
The last 2 1/2 years I have been to the district attorney
offices around the state and talked to prosecutors and compared
our office's setup with other offices.-
Our bureau system is the best system.-
It allows prosecutors to specialize.-
So we can specialize and be experts in the cases we prosecute.-
-
>> Question from Evan Dawson.-
To Ann Marie Taddeo.-
-
>> During this campaign one idea we have touched on a
little
bit tonight and I would like to get into more depth, one of
your ideas that has gained a lot of attention is the
neighborhood protection zones.-
You have said if elected you would create them primarily high
crime areas in which you would send a message by eliminating
plea bargaining as an option, sending a message to criminals.-
The question I have because efficient not seen it elsewhere
is
-- because I have into the seen it, is it constitutional and
is
a risk to take plea bargaining off the table?-
-
>> Maybe you have not seen it elsewhere but it exists
in other
parts of the country.-
Indianapolis, San Diego, New Orleans, the State of Alaska.-
And it is part of a federal project to limit plea bargaining
in
the federal system as well.-
Is it unconstitutional?-
There is no constitutional right to a plea bargain.-
And the fact is that I think that the discrimination aspect
comes in with the people who are repeatedly victimized by
criminals.-
They deserve the special attention.-
If they are not interested in becoming a no plea zone they
don't have to be.-
This is not going to be a project that is an onus on anyone.-
It should empower neighborhoods, you bring together the
residents, retailers, the community, educators and speak about
what they want in terms of prosecution.-
It is not uncommon for city police officers to target certain
neighborhoods, certain houses and go in and make arrests of
the
problem is nothing it coming out at the other end.-
What difference does it make in the community if you arrest
a
person for six separate burglaries and he pleas one in
satisfaction for six?-
Just cities is not done.-
All you have done is teach that person that you can get away
with a lot more.-
That is what a no plea zone is.-
It doesn't have to last forever.-
It doesn't have to be in the city.-
But it certainly offers additional protection and additional
resources to the areas that really need it the most.-
And when I see a candlelight vigil I know they are begging for
extra help and I talk with community leaders who really like
this idea because it does add something.-
It is an additional dimension that they don't have now.-
-
>> I just left 200 citizens from the Parcells area around
every
single one of them was opposed to the neighborhood protection
zone.-
What that plan will do, my opponent says she will draw loins
around certain parts of the city and in those areas will will
be no plea bargaining.-
That means victims whose crimes were in Greece or other areas
who received justice is less.-
It means if you are a young man who commits a crime in
Pittsford and live there you will be treated differently tan
a
young man who commits a crime in other neighborhood and that
is
not justice.-
He we need to make decisions based on the facts of the case
and
do justice in each case based on the fact of those cases.-
While that program may be constitutional, I believe that if
you
implemented that no plea bargain policy in zones in the city
and you watched that program for a year, what you would have
is
civil rights lawsuits alleged to have violated sill rights.-
I will have the zone of the entire county of Monroe and every
citizen of Monroe county will receive equal justice in my
office.-
-
>> Let's talk about the civil rights of the victim.-
Frankly, committing crime in a high crime area really should
be
treated severely.-
Around I really don't understand this misguided sympathy for
the defendant.-
I think that people who live in the areas that are hardest hit
by crime suffer the greatest and deserve the greatest
protection.-
-
>> I will take the next question and pick up on something
for
you Mr. green, something Mrs. Taddeo said.-
Is the bureau system in the D. A.'s office outdated? -
>> I don't believe so, mike.-
We have a domestic violence and child abuse bureau.-
Those attorneys specialize in prosecuting cases where you have
children and families that have been victimized.-
Those cases are unique.-
You don't just walk this when you have a child victim, sit down
at the desk and say tell me what happened and expect that that
child is going to start telling the story four.-
It takes a certain level of expertise and experience.-
I recall a prosecutor describing to me the situation where a
young child was very reluctant to speak and this prosecutor
worked with that child for a long time and finally the
prosecutor went and got a set of walkie-talkies, gave the child
one, the prosecutor take the other walkie-talkie.-
They sat in the office facing opposite corners of the office
and only in that situation did the child start to come forward
and describe what had happened over the walkie-talkie.-
You take a prosecutor who doesn't have the experience or the
expertise to prosecute that type of case and throw them into
a
situation where they have to prosecute those cases, that child
would not have gotten justice.-
Our bureau system allows us to have prosecutors who have the
experience and the expertise in each type of case to prosecute
those case.-
You go to major law firms today and those law firms are broken
down by department.-
And within those departments they specialize in different types
of cases.-
That system provides the citizens of our community with the
maximum protection.-
-
>> I find it ironic that my opponent chooses to use a
domestic
violence case as an example of how the bureau system is not
antiquated because that's the system I used to show this it
is.-
We are probably the only large county in New York state that
doesn't have a sex crimes bureau.-
And the domestic violence bureau was one of the motivating
factors for my getting into the race because I don't like the
way they prosecute child abuse and domestic violence.-
They are not the same thing and shouldn't be in the same bureau
and you should have only those district attorneys who are
committed to each type of crime going into those bureaus.-
They will be separate things.-
The center for missing and exploited children will have a child
advocacy center and the district attorney is supposed to be
assign there had and I will make sure that that happens so that
the child or teenager who is victimized will not have to be
revictimized bit justice system.-
In terms of demembing violence, that is a separate issue.-
And miscellaneous sex crimes are often lumped in there too.-
As far as the other bureaus go, most of the bureau chiefs spend
their time doing major felonies and that is kind of point of
view.-
But the fact of the matter is if you are in charge of economic
crime, you should be doing economic crime.-
-
>> I have been to that facility and I have toured the
facility,
missing and exploited children.-
Secondly, I have the endorsement of the national organization
of women.-
In part that was based on the outstanding work that I have done
in my office, domestic violence.-
We have excelled in the area and part of the reason is because
of the bureau setup that lets us specialize in different types
of cases.-
-
>> Question from Joe expect or to Ms. Taddeo.-
-
>> At the Democrat and chronicle we have tried to frame
candidates and job candidates seeking employment and voters
as
employers trying to determine which person is best for the
job.-
What do you think are the qualifications needed to be district
attorney?-
-
>> I have multidimensional experience.-
I have a variety of experiences that will lend itself to being
the chief executive officer of the district attorney's office.-
I was a prosecutor.-
I spent self years prosecuting felonies in New York City.-
I spent a very successful time here in this same office.-
I presided over thousands of serious cases in family court
where I made decisions each day.-
And I was an administrator.-
I managed a whole judicial district and managed a large budget,
personnel.-
I made big decisions.-
I was known as an innovator, I put together several programs
designed to ensure perpetrator accountability and make the
victims safe.-
This is a very complicated job.-
It's not about all trying cases.-
You need to be able to manage an office and you "Need to
Know"
prosecution.-
And I can bring all of that to this job.-
-
>> The job of the district attorney is a unique job.-
The district attorney is called upon to make decisions each
day
paced on analysis of evidence, malice of cases, based on
experience that you can only get by working in a prosecutor's
office and prosecuting at a high level.-
I have that experience.-
I have worked in many different bureaus this the office.-
I have prosecuted every time of case from traffic cases to
capital murder cases.-
I have more administrative experience in the district
attorney's office than my opponent has in family court.-
I have 12 years of tradeoff experience as a prosecutor.-
Family court is a very important court, but it's not the
district attorney's office.-
There's a certain depth of experience and that can only be
gained by being in homicide scenes, trying murder cases.-
By working with victims and groups like friends and families
of
murdered children.-
By doing things that prosecutors have to do.-
The role of district attorney in part is to teach and lead
young attorneys.-
How can you do that, to do something that you have never been
able to do yourself.-
I teach prosecutors from across New York state at the training
institute.-
I teach prosecutors from around the country at the national
college of district attorneys. I have the experience that is
needed to do this job and do it right.-
-
>> I also saw much more on my point has had one job and
one
place.-
I have worked in a large city, I have worked here.-
I have been a prosecutor.-
I have been a judge.-
I have been an traitor.-
I have been an innovator.-
I have several years as an attorney that my opponent has.-
I think it is a question of maturity and vision.-
-
>> Next question from Evan Dawson for Mr. green.-
-
>> A major theme in the campaign paced on the ads only
is the
conviction rate.-
It is one that you guys have differed over greatly.-
I want to touch briefly on research resource 13 that mike talks
about a 95% vision rate, research showed that that is based
on
the year 2003 after indictments and your numbers have been
different from previous years.-
I want to talk about what the viewers and voters might be
seeing in the ads that might be misleading them.-
Who is more accurate.-
And starting with mike and is this a little unfair to try to
skew numbers?-
-
>> First of all I think it is extremely unfair to try
to judge
the district attorney's office based on one number.-
I will tell you why.-
You want to look at felony conviction rates.-
The way they are figured in my opponent's commercial I could
have a 100% conviction rates tomorrow.-
I can walk down to city court and offer every sin felon and
allow them to get out of jail.-
Under that set of circumstances they would plead guilty, I
would have 100% conviction rate and have done no justice for
the citizens of this community.-
So you can't look at that one number.-
The fact of the matter is, Joe, in 2002 we had a 94.9%
conviction rate on our indictments in Superior Court
information.-
For all felony cases.-
The first half of 2003 in the preliminary figures we had a
95.3% conviction rate for those cases.-
Those are the real numbers.-
The numbers my opponent is using are distorted for several
reasons.-
The major reason is that number compares to cases from any year
regardless of when they came in, against arrests for one year.-
And the reason that disextorts reality is everyone knows that
-- disextorts starting 2001 we had a project to clear up the
backlog of cases.-
In 2001 and 2002 15 or 14 years worth of old cases were
cleanered up.-
We took the lead.-
This was an issue that affected every district attorney's
office in the state.-
There were a million cases around the state.-
We cleaned that up in Monroe county so there is no backlog.-
We did it in those two years.-
My opponent's number takes 15 years worth of dispositions and
compares them to one year of arrests and artificially lowers
the conviction percentages.-
If you compare all of the numbers, not just one number, the
numbers from Erie, what you will find is the Monroe county
district attorney's office consistently outperformed similar
upstate offices.-
-
>> Those are notorious under achievers.-
And if my opponent were to go down the street and offer
harassment as a plea to say assault in the first degree no I
would not be surprised and it does count as a conviction.-
But let's talk about those 15 years worth of cases.-
The numbers from 2002 are not skewed.-
The numbers that I present are based on the number of arrests
versus the number of convictions.-
It is the same yardstick for every other county.-
That is000 is measured by the department of criminal justice
service.-
And what about the project.-
The fact of the matter is that it was only after an attorney
filed a complaint against the office that someone decided to
do
something about it.-
It was a project imposed by the court system and I know, I was
part of the administration that helped put together.-
Because they had never bothered to get rid of cases where
victims, the rights of victims were vofere looked.-
And in faculty the rights of defendants who were never
cleared.-
It was days after case, robbery, sodomy, kidnapping.-
The fact of the matter is that the conviction rate should be
based on the work that police officers do.-
Anyone can hand pick their cases for indictment and you should,
you should have 100% conviction rate using that yardstick.-
-
>> What you learn if you are a prosecutor is you don't
hand
pick cases for indictment.-
23 sths from this community sit on the grand jury and they
decide which cases are indicted and which cases are not and
weet get convictions on 95% of those cases.-
Additionally, the figures show that we plea bargained less than
other similar counties.-
We get convictions for felonies on a higher percentage of cases
and we have a higher incarceration meaning more people or
higher percentage of people are going to jail for crimes in
Monroe than the other counties.-
-
>> We've got time for one more question.-
They will be one -- minute answers.-
The first of Ms. Taddeo.-
Characterize the relationship between the prosecutor's office
now and the police department, sheriffs, other departments.-
-
>> You can see by the nature of the endorsements that
I have
received, the largest is the police department, the police
locust club, the village police departments and the Monroe
county law enforcement association which represents court
deputies.-
They are unhappy.-
Everywhere I went I heard complaints about specific district
attorneys and their behavior and especially the fact that they
were never consulted when cases were being disposed of.-
They never learned about a case, subpoenaed late and unprepared
to go to trial.-
The relationship is not that good and it is visible in the fact
that I am the endorsed candidate of the largest unions.-
-
>> There's a difference between perception and reality.-
And the reality is that there's not a good relationship between
my office, my self and Ron Evangelista.-
There's a great relationship between myself, my office and the
men and women on the police department, both the Rochester
police department and sheriff avenues office and town police
department.-
Our office has liaison with all of the police departments on
a
daily basis working with them.-
And the men and women of the police department have supported
my campaign financially, supported my campaign many other
ways.-
And that is reflect the in the endorsements that I have.-
The jail deputies have endorsed me, Greece badge club.-
I have gotten along and worked with police chiefs, police
officers, law enforcement officials across the community.-
-
>> Questioning part of this debate is over now.-
We have a minute for closing statements.-
Ms. Taddeo, you have the first go.-
-
>> I think you have gotten two very different views of
the
candidates tonight.-
I offer change.-
I have a vision of what I would like the office to be.-
I don't believe that anyone in our community feels safe any
longer in that the office is largely responsible because of
ineffective prosecution.-
We can continue on the path that we are going which I believe
is failure, or we can make changes and have new leadership in
the office.-
I offer that.-
It is an interesting job.-
It is a difficult job.-
It offers manyle challenges.-
But the fact is, it is time for a change if we are to bring
prosperity back to our community.-
We can only do it by making every citizen feel safe.-
We need to end the crime, take back our streets, take back our
neighborhoods and I'm offering this opportunity.-
-
>> Your minute.-
-
>> Thank you.-
I have a 16 year record of achievement as a prosecutor.-
I have successfully prosecuted and taken off of our streets
hundreds of violent felons and murderers. I have obtained a
95%
conviction rate on my felony prosecution rate.-
I have been a leader within the district attorney's office and
leader in this community.-
My work and my record of achievement has allowed knee run a
positive campaign and has earned me the endorsement of the New
York state attorney general the current district attorney, the
Monroe county police Ben nelft association, deputy sheriff
association, Greece badge club, Rochester business alliance,
labor unions, community organizations from across this county.-
I worked tirelessly the last 16 years with crime victims to
serve the community.-
I have the experience, ability and integrity to do the scombrob
and I would appreciate your support and your vote for district
attorney.-
-
>> Our debate is over.-
We want to thank our candidates.-
Our partners and please now the ball is in your court.-
Vote on November 4.-
Thank you.-