Branson on the issues

Key issues

Start a consumer-protection division; improve services for victims and witnesses who testify in court, believes the district attorney should personally spend more time in court. "I decided to seek this office because I felt that the job could be done better than it is currently being done. I feel Douglas County needs a District Attorney that is willing to expand the services of the District Attorney's office to protect all the citizens of Lawrence from crime and consumer fraud. I have handled the prosecution of hundreds of municipal court cases and I have successful administered a business with employees over the last eight years."

Experience

He says he has "tried more jury trials in the last eight years than my opponent. I have tried cases ranging from attempted first degree murder, aggravated kidnapping to misdemeanor DUI's . I have handled from start to finish over 200 felonies and over 200 misdemeanors as a defense attorney. I do not have an exact number of criminal jury trials in front of me for the last eight and half years. I have won complete acquittals as a defense attorney on a few cases and partial acquittals on most cases."

Conviction rate for the DA's office.

He says that Kenney has failed to win a guilty verdict in more than half of the felony cases she's taken to trial this year. He bases his claim on a summary report kept by the District Court Clerk's Office that says there were 16 guilty verdicts out of 34 trials so far this year. "That is the official record I was going on, kept by the clerk of the Douglas County District Court."

Treatment of victims

Concerning victims of domestic violence, "Too often victims of domestic violence are placed in the court system without adequate support services. They are fearful of the system. Currently, victims are forced to testify when they do not want to and if they fail to show up at court the DA's office has them arrested. Victims need help."