PETER A, CHANG, JR. FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY

By Peter A. Chang, Jr.

I believe that Santa Cruz County is a progressive county and that it needs a forward thinking District Attorney who does not feel he must walk in lockstep with rubrics and mantras that waste money and resources and provide excuses for not attending to the real solutions needed to protect our society from those who would harm it.

2) I believe in the legalization of marijuana.

3) I do not believe in the felonization of users of dangerous drugs.

4) I believe in using the resources of the District Attorney's Office to protect society from crimes of violence and crimes involving moral turpitude.

5) I will only apply the Two and Three Strikes law if the crimes are violent.

6) I believe in hiring bright, enlightened trial attorneys who have the courage to go into the trenches to protect society from those who would harm it and successfully prosecute difficult sex crimes, crimes of violence, domestic and hate crimes, white collar and environmental crimes. But who also possess the wisdom, common sense and courage to resist abusing the immense discretion bestowed upon them.

7) I believe that the prosecutor must be singularly independent and unafraid to go against public opinion, personal, police or political agendas when he believes they are inconsonant with justice or the Constitution.

I have lived in Santa Cruz County during my entire 38 year career. I was a prosecutor for 13 years, serving as a Federal Organized Crime Strike Force Attorney, Chief trial attorney, Monterey County and twice elected District Attorney of Santa Cruz County. Since leaving that office I have gained national recognition as a board member of the 11,000 member National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and recipient of the coveted NACDL President's Commendation for my key role in raising indigent counsel rates in federal courts and as an author of articles on the plight of the indigent defendant and the history of the Consitutional Right to Counsel. I also lecture nationwide on cross-examination techniques and most recently had the honor of being chosen as keynote speaker to 500 Federal Court lawyers at the 1999 Annual Federal Defenders Conference, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.