Local opinion: I worked for LaWall, I stand with Conover

Re: the April 24 article “Laura Conover has failed this community.”

I am frankly appalled by Barbara LaWall’s op-ed. This level of misinformation coming from the prior County Attorney is unacceptable.

As a 29-year veteran prosecutor from inside the Pima County Attorney’s Office who supervised three of the largest divisions in the Office during my tenure, let me break down some of the myths.

The County Attorney is an administrator: a Chief of Office over some 380 employees, 150 more victim crisis volunteers, a $42-million budget, the legal advisor to every County agency, the legal advisor to the Board of Supervisors, the County Administrator, and on and on. The idea that she could take a week out of her schedule to prosecute a trial is an absolutely absurd suggestion. I served under both LaWall and her predecessor, Steve Neely, and do not recall either ever trying a case. Overseeing the Pima County Attorney’s Office is much different than overseeing one of the smaller counties with smaller budgets, smaller staffs, and smaller caseloads. It would be an alarming absence from the actual job.

I find accusations of misconduct disingenuous. During the prior administration, at least 3 senior prosecutors were investigated for ethical violations in homicide cases.

These accusations against Ms.Conover stem from a Bar complaint filed by David Berkman, himself a member of LaWall’s administration. What they want you to believe is a damning scandal, is actually in regard to a Facebook comment made before she was an elected official. Ms. Conover had to watch a recorded class on YouTube, and when she turned in her participation certificate the State Bar immediately dismissed the entire case. A far cry from what happened under the previous administration.

And last, but not least, as someone who supervised prosecutors there and advocated for victims, I am frankly deeply saddened that LaWall and Berkman would publish themselves here in the Star to use the grief of victims and their families to score political points.

I’m not sure why the past administration is so obsessed with Conover. Maybe it’s her refusal to seek the death penalty, the fact that she keeps children at juvenile instead of sending them downtown, or that she fights to maintain a woman’s right to determine what happens to their body and refuses to prosecute doctors who are trying to protect a woman’s right to choose.

Conover’s opponent may be happy to have their endorsement, but I stand with the rest of the community:

I want to go forward and continue to build with Conover.

I don’t want to go back to the LaWall administration. A changing of the guard was needed in 2020 and we need to continue to move forward with Laura in 2024.