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Commonwealth's attorney race is a rematch

October 19, 2009 12:36 am

BY EMILY BATTLE

It has been less than a year since LaBravia Jenkins and Joseph "Jeh" Hicks faced each other in a special election for Fredericksburg commonwealth's attorney.

Now both are running for a full four-year term in the office.

Jenkins says her time in the office has been a rewarding new direction for her 14-year career as a prosecutor, and she wants to continue to put her experience in the courtroom and what she has learned about how the city works to use.

Hicks says his pursuit of the office is rooted in his love of Fredericksburg, where he grew up. His campaign literature emphasizes that he is a fourth-generation area resident and a graduate of James Monroe High School, and he says he is passionate about keeping his community safe.

Last December, Jenkins faced Hicks and Stafford County prosecutor Eric Olsen in a special election for the position after former Commonwealth's Attorney Charles Sharp became a circuit court judge.

Jenkins edged out Hicks by just 33 votes, with Olsen coming in third.

Jenkins had been serving as the city's commonwealth's attorney since August 2008, when Sharp left for the judge's bench. She said that allowed the office to continue its work uninterrupted after the election.

Jenkins, 55, has been a prosecutor in both Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County, and also has experience working as a defense attorney.

Hicks, 39, is a partner in the law firm Jarrell, Hicks and Sasser, where he has worked since he came back to Fredericksburg after graduating from law school in 2000. He said his work across several area jurisdictions has given him a good working relationship with local attorneys.

Hicks dismisses questions about whether his lack of experience as a prosecutor makes him less qualified for the job.

"No experience as a prosecutor is a non-argument, it's a veil to create a false distinction between me and my opponent," he said, adding that he thinks working in the private sector makes him more well-rounded.

Experience is a main focus of Jenkins' campaign message, and she said the fact that she has spent so much time in the courtroom over the years allows her to effectively handle both the legal and the managerial sides of the job.

Jenkins said she has developed a good working relationship with city officials, and over the past year, "I've learned a lot about how to think about the office in financial ways."

Hicks said that if resources allow, he would like to bring a part-time employee with police detective experience into the office to help with investigations, so that attorneys can be freed up to do more courtroom-related work.

Both candidates stress communication with city police and with citizen groups as an important part of the job.

Hicks said he'd focus on making sure police and prosecutors are working closely on developing cases. He also wants to be a regular presence in city schools, to try to prevent young people from making bad choices.

His campaign literature mentions that he played football at James Monroe, and Hicks said, "Being a former athlete at that school might make a difference to somebody to prevent substance abuse" or other bad choices.

Jenkins said she has been making the rounds to speak to senior groups and using an e-mail list to send out notices of crime trends that can affect everyone, such as identity theft and a recent rash of thefts from unlocked vehicles.

She hopes to do more to stay in touch with citizens.

"Even though we're a safe community, we're not completely free of the criminal element," she said. "The main role of a prosecutor in any place is to make sure that all of the people who are contemplating criminal acts know they will not get away with them."

Voters will make their choice Nov. 3. The office is one of four constitutional offices up for election in Fredericksburg this year.

The three other officers--Sheriff Paul Higgs, Treasurer G.M. Haney and Commissioner of the Revenue Lois Jacob--are running unopposed for re-election.

The commonwealth's attorney in Fredericksburg makes an annual salary of $120,234.

Emily Battle: 540/374-5413
Email: ebattle@freelancestar.com