Judicial candidates and Durham’s district attorney-elect committed publicly to criminal justice reforms during the Durham CAN Assembly Saturday morning.

At the regular assemblies, Durham CAN (which stands for Congregations, Associations and Neighborhoods) asks candidates for office to commit, with a yes or no answer, to a series of requests from its membership. An estimated six hundred people attended Saturday’s assembly, as well as local and state elected officials.

The commitments this time centered on making the criminal justice system more equitable, more accessible and less damaging to those who go through it. All of the judicial candidates present as well as DA-elect Satana Deberry responded “yes” to each of Durham CAN’s priorities. (Sheriff-elected Clarence Birkhead participated in a previous assembly prior to the May primary in which he handily defeated incumbent Mike Andrews. He has two write-in opponents, George Boykin and Paul Martin, in the general election).

Deberry was asked and agreed to:

  • Consider a defendant’s ability to pay court fines and fees and support the reduction or waiver of fines and fees when a person is unable to pay.
  • Consider money bail the last resort in suggesting pretrial release conditions.
  • Build upon current DA Roger Echols’s efforts to restore suspended licenses and support a new expunction and license restoration clinic.
  • Create a deferral program for driving without a license for people who are otherwise law-abiding but can’t legally obtain a driver’s license because of their immigration status.
  • Develop a prosecutorial policy that forbids overcharging and seeking maximum sentences unless required by law or approved by the DA’s leadership team.
  • Fully support and seek to expand diversion programs.
  • Work with Durham CAN to expand language access in the courthouse.
  • Require race equity training for staff.

Nine judicial candidates on the ballot participated. Superior Court Judge Jim Hardin and District Court Judge Amanda Maris are unopposed for re-election. District Court Judge Fred Battaglia faces civil rights attorney Dave Hall. District Court Judge Jim Hill faces assistant district attorney Clayton Jones. For the Superior Court seat being vacated by Judge Elaine O’Neal, senior assistant public defender Dawn Baxton faces assistant district attorney Josephine Kerr Davis.

They all were asked and agreed to:

  • Meet with Durham CAN leaders within ninety days of taking office.
  • Use resources like the 2018 Criminal Monetary Obligation benchcard in deciding whether to waive or reduce fines and fees.
  • Consider a defendant’s ability to pay court fines and fees and reduce or waive them when a person is unable to pay.
  • Consider money bail the last resort in suggesting pretrial release conditions.
  • Work with Durham CAN to expand language access in the courthouse.
  • Require race equity training for staff.

Early voting continues through November 3. Find the schedule and locations here.