Both former assistant DA Tiffany Burks and former decide Phil Sorrells convey years of expertise to the desk within the race for Tarrant County district lawyer.
FORT WORTH, Texas — The two individuals who wish to be the following Tarrant County district lawyer have labored continuous to get your vote.
Phil Sorrells is a former prosecutor and has labored 25 years as a Tarrant County decide. His opponent, Tiffany Burks, has labored as an assistant Tarrant County district lawyer for the previous 25 years.
During their separate one-on-one interviews with WFAA, each shared their views on crime within the Tarrant County neighborhood.
“Crimes involving gun violence is up in the county,” stated Burks. “I would say that crime involving drug activity is up. And I would say that crime, unfortunately, involving our youth is up.”
“Crime overall is down, serious crime is up, violent crime is up,” stated Sorrells. “We’ve got to get a handle that I think COVID restrictions had shut the courthouse down.”
Burks’ largest supporter is her army husband, Glennie Burks. The high supporter for Sorrells is his lawyer spouse, Susan, supporting his run for DA. Both candidates about controversial issues in Tarrant County just like the dying penalty, low stage marijuana, abortion legal guidelines and possession instances.
“It’s not time to be soft on drugs. It’s time to get serious. We’re losing 300 people a day to overdose or poisoning from drugs,” Sorrells stated, “It’s the law. As it stands right now, possession of marijuana is illegal here in Texas. We have a drug problem in Tarrant County. We’ve got a drug problem in the United States.”
“I think low level nonviolent offenses, which would include your possession, small amounts of possession of marijuana. They are clogging up our courts,” Burks stated, “In many states, marijuana is becoming legal. I anticipate that at some point Texas will probably move in that direction. But until they do again, I have to follow my oath as a prosecutor.”
When it involves the dying penalty, each Sorrells and Burks talked about how the DA’s workplace would give sufferer households a voice beneath their management.
Right now, Paul Storey sits on dying row after his Tarrant County conviction, regardless of his sufferer’s household being against capital punishment.
“Tiffany stands on listening to what the family desires. I think that is very important,” stated Burks, “It’s also important for me to explain to them what the pros are and what the cons are, and the reasons why the office might seek death. Education is a powerful thing. The more people know, the more prepared they are for what could happen.”
“I’ll take into account the victim’s family and what they have to say, and we’ll go from there,” stated Sorrells, “Making the determination to take someone else’s life is not a flippant thing that you should consider. It should be a very solemn and serious thing to consider. I’m going to look at obviously the nature of the offense, the crime, the history of the defendant, and the propensity for future dangerousness.”
Both candidates elaborated on upholding their oaths to observe the legislation of the land if they’re profitable profitable the DA’s race.
After present Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson introduced she wouldn’t run for workplace final yr, Sorrell’s stepped away from his job as a Tarrant County decide to throw his title within the hat for DA.
Tiffany had already determined to run for DA previous to realizing Wilson wouldn’t be working, so Burks had already contemplated a marketing campaign which may have included working in opposition to her personal boss.
Burks and Sorrells have shared information about their backgrounds, households and plans for the way forward for the DA’s Office on their marketing campaign web sites.
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