This is part of our ongoing series for the upcoming legislative races, spotlighting the different candidates who are appearing on the March 26 ballot.

Our community as a whole is facing the question of how to reduce the crime in Baton Rouge. There is no one way or one answer to reduce crime. The solution can only come from a combination of efforts including better jobs with better pay; improving our educational system from K-12; making certain law enforcement officers are properly trained and staffed; and having a judicial branch that works with all of the above to compliment the solutions.

A judge is sometimes the last line of defense protecting our community from violent, convicted criminals. As such, the judges we elect must have the experience to know when a kid has just made a mistake versus a career, violent criminal who has chosen crime as a way of life. As a former public defender and as a prosecutor who has handled thousands of criminal cases, I have the experience needed to make and see the difference in accused criminals. As a District Judge, I won’t need to go through a learning period because I’ve spent hundreds of hours in the courtrooms of East Baton Rouge parish earning the wisdom a judge needs to rule from the bench. 

As a metro councilperson in Baton Rouge, I’ve worked to make sure laws we have on the books already to combat crime are enforced. These include laws to demolish blighted houses in neighborhoods which can attract nefarious activity to neighborhoods. 

I will be a judge who understands that simply locking everyone up who comes before me may be the simple solution but it is not the complete solution to reducing crime. I know this because of my experience as a councilperson, a businessperson, a prosecutor and as a public defender. I would be honored to have the opportunity to use my experience on the District Court to help our community reduce crime and make our city safer – for everyone.