Two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for 6th Judicial District Attorney sparred Thursday night over experience and judicial philosophy.
Christian Champagne and Ben Lammons are vying for the top prosecutor position in a three-county region – Archuleta, San Juan and La Plata. The district attorney oversees a $2 million budget and 27 employees, including 10 attorneys.
The debate, sponsored by La Plata County Democrats, attracted about 50 people who filled every available seat in a conference room at the Durango Public Library.
Champagne serves as assistant district attorney under Todd Risberg, who is term-limited. He has been a prosecutor for seven years and worked as a defense attorney prior to that.
Lammons said it’s not enough experience to lead the office.
“He’s only ever worked in one office, and he got the job with no prosecutor experience, and he got it because he’s friends with Mr. Risberg, and he got to jump the line ahead of all the other experienced prosecutors in the office because they were friends, but he didn’t have the experience,” Lammons said.
But Champagne said it is Lammons who is out of touch with managing a forward-thinking prosecutor’s office that focuses on getting defendants the treatment and supervision they need rather than taking a hard-nose approach.
“Todd Risberg and I have led this community away from the old, broken style of prosecuting Mr. Lammons represents, and we’ve moved us forward into the future,” Champagne said. “The sky hasn’t fallen. There aren’t roving bands of marauders out on the street committing criminal behavior. Our community is as safe, and it’s stronger, than it has ever been.”
Lammons has practiced law for 26 years, including 21 years as a prosecutor and nine years in Southwest Colorado. He serves as a prosecutor for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.
Under Risberg’s and Champagne’s tenure, fewer cases have gone to trial and domestic violence prosecutions have dropped by about 50 per year, Lammons said. He repeatedly criticized Champagne for bumbling serious trial cases.
If elected, Lammons said he will pursue alternatives to incarceration for most offenders but will use “all the tools in the toolbox” against serious criminals.
Champagne said the vast majority of defendants in the criminal justice system did something stupid and need a wake-up call or proper supervision to get their lives back on track. He also vowed to prosecute hardened criminals to the full extent of the law.
And he promised to improve communication with law enforcement and improve transparency with the public. Better data collection could help identify trends, including implicit biases that account for a disproportionate number of minorities incarcerated, he said.
shane@durangoherald.com
Ben Lammons
Age: 52
Family: Wife, five children
In La Plata County: Since 2007
Hobbies: Skiing, mountain biking, tennis and collecting vinyl records
Car you drive: Subaru Outback and Honda CRV
Christian Champagne
Age: 41
Family: Wife, two kids
In La Plata County: Since 2010
Hobies: Skiing/snowboarding, road biking, rafting and camping
Car you drive: Toyota Rav4
