Newspaper Page Text
Tuesday, March 2,2021 ®jje Hrraltr <©a?£tt£ 3A
Part two: Chief magistrate judge
tell views at Milner forum held
candidates
last week
KAY S. PEDROTTI
kayspedrotti@gmail.com
Editor’s Note: This is part two of the
forum involving the four candidates
for chief magistrate judge. Part one
was published in the Feb. 23 edition.
Question 5: The “good
ol’ boy” system is a
concern to many Lamar
residents who see favors
are granted and special
treatment given to those
with the right connections.
If elected, it is a guarantee
that at some time you will
be looking at a warrant
targeting a friend or fam
ily member. How can the
people know that you will
judge fairly and not show
bias? Would you sign that
warrant knowing it targets
one of your associates?
Mason: This seems
to be a common prob
lem, or
perception,
in Lamar
County. The
magistrate
must judge
fairly with
out bias; the
rule of law
applies to all people; the
courtroom is no place for
favors.
Williamson: Law
officers have faced this
problem and are required
to apply the
law fairly to
everyone.
Once when
1 thought
my career
might be
over if 1
locked up a
judge, 1 did
it anyhow because there
was probable cause for
the arrest, and that was
my job. My statistics
show 1 have done my job
equitably.
I
MASON
WILLIAMSON
ENGLISH
English: With all
due respect to my law
enforcement friends, this
illustrates
the differ
ence be
tween a law
enforcement
education
and a legal
education.
It is best
for the judge to recuse
himself not because a
decision might include
impropriety, but the ap
pearance that there may
be bias. The late Judge
Jackson recused herself
and brought in another
judge because the case
involved me and we were
friends. If there is any
suspicion of bias, the
judge should recuse.
Kunst: 1 think these
things happen consis
tently; 1
believe an
attorney or
judge has
to be able
to separate
feelings and
emotions
from the
facts. If you don’t look
just at the facts, and not
the person, some bias
will creep in. In some
cases recusal is certainly
appropriate, but if a
judge is known to be able
to separate the facts and
the law from emotions,
there is no reason for
recusal.
Question 6: Personal
business interests - this is
a concern for some about
elected officials, par
ticularly judges. If elected,
would you continue to op
erate those businesses or
step away, knowing that
many elected officials use
their positions to advance
their personal interests?
Williamson: If elected,
1 would resign from the
Lamar County sheriff’s
office and give up law
enforcement.
English: I had to leave
my job with the city in
order to run for chief
magistrate; 1 could not go
back to that job. 1 have
two businesses, manag
ing the family farm and
honey selling; these are
weekend-only activities
and would not generally
demand my time serving
as chief magistrate judge.
Kunst: I have two
auto service businesses
and one law practice 1
would not close ei
ther of the QuickLube
locations because my
presence is not required
daily at either. 1 have
managers and visit just
to let my employees
know 1 care about them
and whether they need
anything. One can
not wear two hats in a
courtroom, so my law
practice would certainly
be scaled back not to in
terfere with the primary
responsibility of being
chief magistrate judge.
Mason: 1 certainly
would have to stop
“wearing many hats” and
devote my time to being
magistrate. That office
requires giving up my
job as a police chief; if
elected, 1 would resign
that job.
Question 7: Personal
connections - the likeli
hood of being friends or
relatives of persons in
elected positions is moder
ately high. For the sake of
transparency, do you have
any personal friendships
or relatives currently
holding elected office or
a person appointed to a
position of influence?
English: I know almost
every politician in Lamar
County, but 1 never been
in their homes nor have
they been in mine. 1 try
to maintain a civil work
ing relationship with
everybody, whether 1 like
them or not - some of
them dislike me intense
ly-
Kunst: 1 have no close
relatives or family in
elected positions. 1 am
on cordial terms with
all officials, but 1 am not
involved with anyone in
an elected office.
Mason: I know every
elected official here, and
1 consider them friends
with whom 1 can ex
change information and
learn about them as we
do make friends. 1 like to
learn about all kinds of
people; 1 see no conflict
in being just friends with
elected officials.
Williamson: Sheriff
Brad White is my friend,
but we are on a business
basis at work. 1 know
some judges and officials
whom 1 consider ac
quaintances, not friends;
there are no close rela
tionships.
(Floyd interrupted at
this point to emphasize
there was
no “right
or wrong”
answer to
that ques
tion. The
purpose, he
— said, was
FLOYD tQ g nc j “ are
you truthful?”)
Question 8: What is
your greatest strength that
you believe is relevant to
this position?
Kunst: Mine would
be attention to detail,
whether working on a
car or legal case or other
situation. 1 can examine
the facts, ascertain the
case and make an in
formed decision. If one
little piece of any case
is overlooked or dis
missed, it could change
outcomes. 1 think 1 have
a reputation for a level
of detail that has favor
ably affected my interac
tion with customers and
clients for 25 years in
business and four years
as an attorney.
Mason: My long career
experience and my
ability to teach others.
Helping people learn
has been a goal for me
all my life, whether on
the recreation field or in
the classroom or on the
job in law enforcement.
Learning and teaching
are my strengths.
Williamson: Dedica
tion to the job. If you
have passion for your
work, dedication will
follow. The sheriff has
entrusted me with the
supervision of storing
evidence in crimes. 1
think also that 1 choose
integrity over popular
opinion.
Rebuttals included:
Kunst made clear he
would recuse himself
if a case were affecting
one of his businesses as
well as family or friends.
He also noted that he is
appreciative of his fel
low candidates’ experi
ence in criminal law, but
feels the civil aspect is
equally important.
Mason stated that
law enforcement does
involve all courts and
cases, not just criminal.
He stands by his abilities
and integrity and gave
the example of working
with magistrate Rita Ca-
vanagh, who has served
in the post for more
than 40 years: “She
maintains that magis
trate is a people’s court
where citizens and the
judge can come togeth
er to solve problems,
where lawyers are not
necessary and jurors
are not wanted. And 1
agree.”
Williamson noted
that not all education
comes from books and
classrooms. During his
22 years in law enforce
ment, he has seen the
“backsides” of the
courts, when attorneys
work with police who
have done thorough
work on a case and a
plea deal can be made
without ever reaching
the courtroom. When a
law officer first reaches
a potential crime scene,
it has to be determined
whether a crime has
been committed - it
may be a civil issue.
Our work involves much
more than making ar
rests and testifying in
court.
English reiterated his
businesses are weekend
efforts and would not
interfere with being
magistrate. He said has
been accused of nui
sance noise, but has re
ceived only one citation
which was dropped,
and no other civil or
criminal complaints
have been filed against
him or the businesses
in eight years of opera
tions.
Floyd concluded with
thanks and reminders
that the chief magis
trate election is March
16.
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if Ifii'
ELECT
SHANNON
WILLIAMSON
CHIEF MAGISTRATE JUDGE
FACT CHECK
Georgia -159 Counties
111- Counties Have Chief Magistrates
Without A Law Degree
47 - Have A Law Degree
Let’s Keep Lamar County Magistrate
“The People’s Court”
Please Vote Me 112!