What the DA’s don’t understand (because of their lack of experience in this regard) is that King , as Attorney General, is responsible for all the Death Penalty convictions in the State. King has spent 10 years in the AG’s office and understands appellate law much better than a local prosecutor. A position taken in one of these cases could affect many more of them in a negative way. King couldn’t agree to release a murderer like Gamble just to make the DA’s happy without potentially endangering dozens of other convictions.

It’s too bad the DA’s got all upset with him over this, because they are wrong, but they all hated King anyway. If your remember, these same DA’s all endorsed King’s opponent in the last election, as did the same newspaper editors who are attacking King now.

Pep Johnston
Supernumerary District Attorney
Aliceville

Dear Editor: Troy King, the political hack who is Alabama’s embarrassing attorney general, recently sent out press releases to newspapers throughout the state accusing local district attorneys of turning their backs on victims of crime. The press releases are identical, except for naming each local DA along with Robbie Owens, the DA in Shelby County, who incurred the wrath of Mr. King for recommending that a death sentence be reduced to life without parole.

In reference to Fayette, Lamar, and Pickens counties, the press release names DA Chris McCool as one who has turned his back on victims. What a bizarre statement! Just this past July, Chris McCool was presented an award as District Attorney of the Year by Troy King.

In 24 years as district attorney for Fayette, Lamar and Pickens counties, I can’t recall an Alabama attorney general who was less knowledgeable about criminal prosecution or who demonstrated less ability in his job. It appears that, having come into office with absolutely zero prosecution experience, he is trying to compensate by putting his temper tantrums into press releases.

Mr. King claims the authority to take over the prosecution of any criminal case brought in this state. Having charged that all these district attorneys have “turned their backs on victims,” he now says that he intends to do just that. It is eerie how much his actions are like that of [former] U.S. Attorney General [Alberto] Gonzales, who fired federal prosecutors and then was forced to resign. Mr. King would do the state a favor by resigning.

In the course of doing their jobs, prosecutors certainly give voice to the pain and injuries suffered by crime victims. But their job is not to represent victims or their survivors, or to win convictions, or to ensure the maximum punishment is inflicted.

King should remember that prosecutors owe their first allegiance to justice, even if seeking justice might not be politically expedient. The recent case involving the Duke University lacrosse team should serve as a warning of the dangers of prosecutors who forget that.