Merced County District Attorney
The office of the district attorney is responsible for pursuing criminal cases and prosecuting offenders in the county. They investigate crimes, decide whether to prosecute suspects and negotiate plea deals and even try cases before juries. Read on to learn more about Kimberly Lewis, who is running for district attorney in the county. Here are her qualifications:
Kimberly Lewis
Merced County District Attorney Kimberly Helms Lewis has won a re-election race after receiving more than 66 percent of the vote to replace longtime incumbent Larry Morse. Lewis says her win sends a message to the community. Morse, who was elected in 2006, was scrutinized in 2013 after his son, Ethan, was arrested on suspicion of a shooting in Atwater. While the charges against Ethan were later dropped, Lewis said she believes the incident is a lesson in accountability.
In addition to her judicial work, Lewis has been involved with the Homeless Court Program in the Merced County district attorney’s office. The program aims to give homeless people access to justice while also addressing the root causes of homelessness. In a nutshell, the program will dismiss minor infractions for homeless people who are making progress toward self-sufficiency. Additionally, Lewis wants to create a mental health diversion program for felony cases. She hopes to begin this program by the fall.
Experience
If you’re applying for a position as Merced County District Attorney, you should consider the experience of your opponents. Kimberly Helms Lewis, who became district attorney in 2018, defeated her three-term predecessor and is running for re-election on June 7. Since then, she has overseen COVID-19 and increased felony DUI and felony filings. In addition, she has been a key player in the local political scene.
Lewis’s experience as a district attorney started when she was a prosecutor in Merced County, where she was the only prosecutor of the county’s drug offenses. During her tenure as a prosecutor, Lewis hired gang violence experts to handle cases and joined a task force to tackle auto theft and petty theft. She also partnered with Stanislaus and Fresno counties to establish a task force for auto theft cases.
Children
Larry D. Morse, the Merced County District Attorney for Children, recently visited the state capitol in Sacramento as part of a national group known as Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. The group includes nearly five thousand law enforcement officials and survivors of violence. Morse met with legislators and members of the organization to discuss crime prevention and children’s issues. The organization’s efforts have been proven to reduce crime rates and help children succeed in school.
The Merced County District Attorney for Children’s office recently announced the conviction of a man accused of sexually abusing his three children. The man, known as Jose Juan Pineda, was found guilty of seven counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under fourteen. The smallest victim was only eight years old at the time and disclosed the abuse to her mother. Los Banos Police Sgt. Robert Wiens led the investigation and was able to convict the man. In addition, three victims testified to the abuse. One of the victims described the abuse as oral sex multiple times. The other two victims told their stories in court.
Interests
A recent brawl outside a Merced bar may have tainted the prosecutors’ interests. Merced County District Attorney Kimberly Lewis has declared a conflict of interest and sent the case to Mariposa County for review. However, some people have questioned her, saying that she was involved in the fight. Two deputies were put on paid administrative leave following the incident.
A new ACLU report highlights the concerns of residents about district attorneys. Two ACLU reports, released recently, expose a wide range of disparities in charging, racial bias, and the criminalization of poverty and mental illness. District attorneys have an outsized impact on the lives of residents. Both reports find that Merced County District Attorney Kimberly Lewis and Sacramento DA Anne Marie Schubert spent most of their resources prosecuting low-level crimes.
Jurisdiction
The Jurisdiction of Merced County is an important part of judicial oversight of a large jurisdiction. This is a small area compared to the larger metropolitan areas, but it has many positive attributes that attract candidates to the position. The Central Valley is unique from most parts of the state in several ways, and Merced County is no exception. As such, applicants should demonstrate experience in jury trials or other court experiences similar to the District Attorney’s position. If possible, applicants should list the level of complexity of the cases they’ve handled, as well as any experience in public speaking.
The Office of the District Attorney was created by California’s Government Code Section 26500 and is the chief law enforcement officer of the county. It prosecutes all criminal cases and also oversees Environmental Protection cases in the area. The office works for the public and is committed to enforcing criminal laws equally. If you have been charged with a crime, you can contact the office of the District Attorney in Merced County to learn more about the laws and the prosecuting process.