MANSFIELD — Integrity and morale, or the lack thereof, were the focal points during a Richland County prosector debate Thursday evening as candidates Gary Bishop (R) and Bambi Couch Page (D) squared off in Mansfield Senior High’s auditorium.
“The office currently has people in there since 2011 at the latest and 2016 at the earliest and a bunch of people with no tenure — 18 people have left that office in protest. That office is in … ,” Bishop said, as he was cut off both by his one minute time limit and by Couch Page’s chiding chortle.
Couch Page said there are no issues in her office.
“There is no morale issue, 18 people … some of them retired, some of them left because of illness, some of them left for other jobs. There were only two people that left angry — he (Bishop) was one,” Couch Page said.
In his rebuttal, Bishop said he had spoken with most of the 18 employees within the prosecutor’s office who left. He said professionals with tenure quit and some did not have jobs lined up after leaving. He added that now, the way Couch Page’s office is set up, is left with some untrained lawyers who lose cases.
“These were people who had to get pay cuts to leave that office,” Bishop said, adding that, he too, left the office and got a pay cut.
“And I was happy to do it because I wanted to work with someone who had integrity,” he said, receiving applause from the audience.
According to an article published in Richland Source, Bishop said he moved from the Richland County prosecutor’s office to Ashland’s because Christopher Tunnell sought him out in April 2015.
“Unlike what my opponent said, my current staff is very highly trained and skilled. My first assistant (Cliff Murphy) has 18 years experience,” she said.
She then noted the lawyer down the hall from Murphy only has three years of prosecutorial experience.
“But my prosecutors range from five years, 10 years, 12 years to 30 years experience prosecuting. I only have one individual on my staff that’s that young,” she said, adding her office conducts training sessions.
Bishop responded by stating that Murphy, the first assistant prosecutor with 18 years of experience, lost a rape case recently to a man who defended himself. He also suggested Couch Page contributed to the office losing cases because she campaigned at the Richland County Fair during crucial trials for two weeks.
“The county fair doesn’t last for two weeks. I wasn’t out there every day — I don’t know what he’s talking about,” she said.
There was one issue both candidates agreed on: how to handle the heroin epidemic.
Both cited the state’s recent passing of the Good Samaritan Law, also referred to the immunity law. The law, which offers immunity from arrest, prosecution and penalties to people who overdose from heroin or other narcotics and 911 callers, took affect Sept. 13.
Couch Page said the new law is prohibiting the prosecutor’s office from referring drug offenders to the county’s drug court.
“On certain circumstances we can’t charge them with drug offenses. Consequently, if you’re allowing them to seek treatment on their own, they’re not doing it,” Couch Page said.
To combat the current issue, she said she, along with law enforcement officials from METRICH, are targeting individuals using fentanyl, a lethal synthetic opiate found in heroin.
She cited Charles McCoy’s recent conviction of 32 years for his involvement in dealing out heroin laced with fentanyl. She also said she has met with State Representative Mark Romanchuk and Senator Larry Obhof, with whom she pleaded to rewrite the law.
“We have their ear — they’re working on it,” she said.
Bishop agreed that the immunity law is causing problems. He added he will work to ensure the people who are found with heroin or other illegal narcotics will be held accountable.
“These people (drug addicts) have to be held accountable for their own good,” he said.
The candidates also agreed that all police related deaths should be presented to the grand jury.
To conclude the evening, the moderator asked the candidates what one trait they admired in each other.
Bishop called Couch Page a good trial “technician,” arguing Couch Page can handle simple cases but not complicated cases which involve risk.
“If it’s a straightforward case, I would trust Bambi Couch to take it to trial and dot the I’s and cross the T’s,” he said.
Couch Page said she appreciated the backhanded compliment.
“Mr. Bishop can try a case but he can’t hold his temper … when things don’t go his way, he often shows his disregard for jurors and others by having outbursts in the courtroom,” she said.
