Anderson/Oconee 10th Circuit Solicitor Beth Blundy

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

1. What do you see as the top priority of the solicitor's office?

The top priority of the Solicitor's office should always be to do the right thing under the law. To put it simply there is law and order - law enforcement is the law and we are the order. The Solicitor should not be swayed by public opinion or be beholden to someone when determining how to fulfill their role as a minister of justice. The Solicitor must protect the rights of our citizens and uphold the Constitution. The Solicitor should evaluate each and every case to make sure the law was followed and when it is the Solicitor should seek to prosecute. When I am elected I will make it my mission to make sure justice is served quickly for the victim's and their families. My top priority will be to make sure that criminals do not run the courtroom and that the focus returns back on the victim rather than the perpetrator.

2. What are the key challenges facing the Solicitor's office in the near future?

The key challenges facing the Solicitor's office is a need to retain experienced prosecutors and to better utilize updated technology inside courtroom during trials. Post covid it has been hard to keep good hard-working attorneys with a calling and passion for prosecution working for the government when there is a lot more money to be made in private practice. The lack of seasoned experienced attorneys can lead to delayed dockets. This prosecutor's office will always have a high-volume caseload for a prosecutor. The longer someone has been at the job the less time it takes them to evaluate and determine the legal issues and/or prepare for a trial. I do believe that the recent funding obtained to help the retention process will tackle some of this issue for the near future but we will have to see if it fixes it for the long-term. Also retaining our most experienced prosecutors helps us train the newer prosecutors coming in and builds the office up as a whole. Additionally, our courtroom technology has not kept up with the demand for what is expected to occur inside a trial in the courtroom. We need additional updates to our evidence storage, evidence redaction abilities, along with better systems to cross reference evidence between the local law enforcement agencies and the Solicitor's office, and newer projectors for displaying the evidence during a trial. It is hard to try a case when the equipment is outdated and your fingers are crossed hoping it will work during your case.

3. How would you work with other county officials to coordinate efforts of the Solicitor's office?

When county officials can come together and work alongside one another the community as a whole always benefits. I believe that working hand in hand with law enforcement is critical. I would like to collaborate with law enforcement to provide training for officers outside what they learn in the academy to handle and prepare them for the courtroom and courtroom procedures. Additionally, working together we can set expectations for the types of evidence that help prove a case during trial and how that evidence can be admissible inside of a trial on a witness stand. Working with community program leaders both for victims and offenders is also important to try to help deter a perpetrator' s conduct and assist victims in seeking an avenue for healing from what has occurred. Since the role of the Solicitor is not just punitive and there is a rehabilitative component to what we do, it is important to be able to join with other county officials to accomplish what is best for our community members. Certainly, in order to run effective programs, a large part of the head Solicitor is to maintain a budget that encompasses all these needs and utilize and/or request funding in the most balanced way. We also need more cooperation between the probation office and the Solicitor's to monitor defendants who re-offend while on probation.

4. What personal/professional skills and/or experience make you the best candidate for this office?

I am a graduate of Hillsdale College. It is one of the most conservative schools in the nation, deeply concentrated in the Constitution and patriotic education. I received an education rooted in fundamental American values which led me to law school at Thomas M. Cooley majoring in litigation. I am the candidate who has served the longest inside the 10th circuit in the Oconee Office -- 14 years this November. Practicing within the circuit gives me the unique benefit of knowing what the exact issues are that need addressing. I have ample experience handling all kinds of cases from magistrates’ level, juveniles, to felonies including violent crime like burglary, drug trafficking, conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, domestic violence, murder/attempted murder, DUI with death and great bodily injury, unlawful neglect of child, etc. I have tried numerous cases spanning well over a decade with one of the highest conviction rates in the circuit. I have routinely carried a caseload between 500-700 cases revolving at a time during the course of my career. Coming from an office with 5 attorneys handling the bulk of the caseload has given me exposure and ability to work on a wide variety of different types of crimes. This makes my experience vastly beneficial, compared to a small rural circuit with a low caseload like Abbeville, or Anderson where there are a large number prosecutors to handle cases.

5. Why do you think you would be the most effective Solicitor among those running for this position?

When I started my career as a prosecutor, I found my calling and my passion. My desire, heart, and work-ethic make me the most effective Solicitor and have paved the way for great success inside the courtroom. Along with my education and experience I also have the background as someone who has helped build and run two successful small businesses. I have a great understanding of what it takes to manage employees, balance a budget, and create procedures to follow to make sure the job is done well. I know what the issues are that need fixing and I have very specific plans to address each one of them. When all of these are put into place it will tackle the greater problem of reducing violent crime and cutting our recidivism rates making Anderson and Oconee the best and safest places to live. I also believe in Drug, Mental Health, and Veterans Courts for non-violent offenders, which will address specific and unique challenges and provide for a more comprehensive way to resolve cases while making sure that defendants are not given a free pass but held accountable for their actions and focus on making a victim whole.