DA candidates question other’s experience

Erin Neff

Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2002 | 10:57 a.m.

Experience was at the heart of the first debate between Mike Davidson and David Roger on Tuesday as each candidate for district attorney criticized his opponent's background as inadequate to lead the 600-employee office.

"Is it a career prosecutor you want or is it a person who spent the last five years administrating the civil division?" Roger, a Republican, said in his opening remarks to the Asian Chamber of Commerce in a debate at Palace Station.

Roger, a deputy chief district attorney, said his 15 years in the district attorney's office were entirely focused on prosecuting criminals, from street gang members to the highly publicized Binion murder trial defendants.

But Davidson, the assistant district attorney, argued he had a broader range of experience, including 20 years of private practice, criminal defense work and an understanding of every division and decision in the district attorney's office.

"Things changed in the country after Sept. 11. and they didn't change for the better," Davidson, a Democrat, said. "This is not the time and this is not the office for on-the-job training."

Davidson later disputed Roger's claim that he had no prosecutorial experience, saying he currently plays a role in each decision about which cases to prosecute, when to go to trial and when to seek the death penalty.

"Prosecution starts at the top of the DA's office," Davidson said.

Roger similarly defended his own experience, saying he's been "in the trenches," and while he does not work in the civil division, he understands how to prepare for any case.

The debate, which was attended by about 40 people, was the first for the Asian Chamber of Commerce's political action committee. Attorney Puoy Premsrirut moderated the event with additional questions coming from trustees of the PAC.

In response to a question about crime against Asians, both men said they had been victimized by crime -- Davidson, by both a home burglary and an armed robbery and Roger by a car break-in.

Both men said they support capital punishment, with Davidson saying the death penalty "should be used sparingly for the people who commit the most heinous crimes," and Roger saying you "have to be darn sure that you have the right person."

But responses to almost every question included a small jab at the opponent. For example, when answering the death penalty question, Davidson said he already is involved in each capital punishment decision, while Roger said he is the only candidate who has looked a jury in the eye and asked for the death penalty.

Both candidates were asked what background they had in First Amendment issues, given Clark County's attempts to regulate adult businesses.

Roger said that while it is important to protect the First Amendment, he would research each new issue: "It's hard work, research and good judgment."

Davidson said he had more background in First Amendment issues, citing the case involving Culinary Union protesters on the Strip -- a case in which the Clark County District Attorney's office was named as a defendant in a suit heard by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

"It's not good enough to say I've got people who know about that, or we'll do research," Davidson said.

Roger said that while he doesn't have the same supervisory experience that Davidson has, he said: "I certainly have leadership qualities."

Davidson, who rather quietly waited for the Nov. 5 general election as Roger battled colleague Abbi Silver in the Republican primary, will begin airing television ads today.

In his closing remarks Davidson said he is "not a career bureaucrat" and is "not working toward a pension." He also used a military analogy as to why voters should not elect Roger.

"No matter how good a soldier a soldier may be, would anybody suggest that that person should be a general and lead a battle?" he asked.

Roger concluded his remarks by referencing his law enforcement endorsements and support from the two unions that represent employees in the district attorney's office.

"We have different ideas on the role of the district attorney," Roger said. "I believe he should be a career prosecutor."