Rice challenged by Sturim for D.A. position
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Do you believe that the justice system in Nassau County is fair and equitable for all of the county’s residents? If not, what would you do it change it?
Rice: For the most part, I do. It’s my belief that DAs can do more to ensure the integrity of the justice system than any other person in the courtroom. I instill that sense of responsibility in the young prosecutors I train and who work for me. I have also been a staunch advocate for reform in areas of the system that I believe need it. Our system needs to reform its juvenile justice laws to better reflect the immaturity of young, non-violent teens. We need more videotaping of interrogations and we need a forensic testing facility independent of our law enforcement agencies.
Sturim: System-wide, I believe that the criminal justice system in Nassau County strives to be fair and equitable to all residents. In general, with few exceptions, my experience over the past 23 years has been a positive one. Unfortunately, I do not believe that it is “just” when the district attorney publishes the names and photos of those people merely accused of being “Johns” for her own benefit. Those accused, and their families, should not be subjected to the humiliation, shame and bullying based upon a mere accusation. In the country in which we live, people are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Although newspaper reporters often get a hold of and release the names of suspects under the First Amendment, I believe the district attorney was motivated to call a press conference to publish the names and photos of these suspected “Johns” herself because of the favorable publicity that she believed she would achieve, thinking nothing of the principles of fairness on which our country is based.
Kathleen Rice
Democrat, Incumbent
Age: 48
Lives in: Garden City
Career: Assistant district attorney, Brooklyn, prosecuting domestic violence and gang cases, then working with homicide bureau; Appointed assistant United States attorney, federal prosecutor in Philadelphia Pa. office, 1999.
Political experience: Nassau County district attorney, 2006-present.
Family: Single
Education: Bachelor’s degree in English, Catholic University of America; Law degree, Touro Law School
Other: President of the state District Attorney’s Association; co-chair of Governor Cuomo’s special commission on public corruption.
Howard Sturim
Republican, Conservative, Challenger
Age: 54
Lives in: Great Neck
Career: Assistant district attorney for Nassau County. Headed first the arson bureau and then the major offenses unit. Worked for the DA for 13 years before leaving to become the principal law clerk for a Nassau County jurist. Was candidate for District Court Judge in North Hempstead in both 2005 and 2011.
Education: Juris doctorate, Hofstra University School of Law
Family: Single
Other: Involvement with community and attorney organizations.
Rice: For the most part, I do. It’s my belief that DAs can do more to ensure the integrity of the justice system than any other person in the courtroom. I instill that sense of responsibility in the young prosecutors I train and who work for me. I have also been a staunch advocate for reform in areas of the system that I believe need it. Our system needs to reform its juvenile justice laws to better reflect the immaturity of young, non-violent teens. We need more videotaping of interrogations and we need a forensic testing facility independent of our law enforcement agencies.
Sturim: System-wide, I believe that the criminal justice system in Nassau County strives to be fair and equitable to all residents. In general, with few exceptions, my experience over the past 23 years has been a positive one. Unfortunately, I do not believe that it is “just” when the district attorney publishes the names and photos of those people merely accused of being “Johns” for her own benefit. Those accused, and their families, should not be subjected to the humiliation, shame and bullying based upon a mere accusation. In the country in which we live, people are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Although newspaper reporters often get a hold of and release the names of suspects under the First Amendment, I believe the district attorney was motivated to call a press conference to publish the names and photos of these suspected “Johns” herself because of the favorable publicity that she believed she would achieve, thinking nothing of the principles of fairness on which our country is based.
Kathleen Rice
Democrat, Incumbent
Age: 48
Lives in: Garden City
Career: Assistant district attorney, Brooklyn, prosecuting domestic violence and gang cases, then working with homicide bureau; Appointed assistant United States attorney, federal prosecutor in Philadelphia Pa. office, 1999.
Political experience: Nassau County district attorney, 2006-present.
Family: Single
Education: Bachelor’s degree in English, Catholic University of America; Law degree, Touro Law School
Other: President of the state District Attorney’s Association; co-chair of Governor Cuomo’s special commission on public corruption.
Howard Sturim
Republican, Conservative, Challenger
Age: 54
Lives in: Great Neck
Career: Assistant district attorney for Nassau County. Headed first the arson bureau and then the major offenses unit. Worked for the DA for 13 years before leaving to become the principal law clerk for a Nassau County jurist. Was candidate for District Court Judge in North Hempstead in both 2005 and 2011.
Education: Juris doctorate, Hofstra University School of Law
Family: Single
Other: Involvement with community and attorney organizations.
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