Kennedy Stumps For Votes At Indy Rainbow Chamber

I just returned from a monthly mixer for the Indy Rainbow Chamber at the Damien Center. Marion Co. Democratic prosecutor candidate Melina Kennedy was this month's guest. Let me begin by saying that Kennedy makes up for what she lacks in prosecutorial experience with a confident, well thought out message. While her Republican opponents have tried to portray her as an empty suit, she comes across to her listeners as anything but that.

Kennedy has her message down pat. She wants to refocus the 168-odd attorneys working in the prosecutor's office towards a neighborhood approach. Rather than focusing attorneys on specific crimes, they would instead be focused on particular neighborhoods that would better familiarize them with the offender group and the victims who are adversely impact by these offenders. She says this approach has worked well in other communities.

Kennedy will target the office's resources towards putting away career criminals, getting in a slap at Brizzi's policy of not using the habitual offender statute when the crime involved is a misdemeanor. That policy, she urges, allowed one of the accused in the Hamilton Avenue killings which left seven family members dead to be on the street. But won't the invocation of that law unfairly target African-American males she is asked by Black Pride President Robert Ferguson? It must be used to get career criminals off the street she insists, but she will utilize the diversionary program offered by the special drug court to reach out to at-risk offenders with an effective treatment program to get them on the right track. Prevention she urges goes hand-in-hand with prosecution. At the same time she clarifies that the habitual offender statute is not the same as three strikes and you're out--a harsher sentencing law that puts away repeat offenders for life. Instead, it allows for tougher sentencing in proportion to the offender's previous convictions she explains.

Kennedy also hits hard at Brizzi's record in addressing the growing domestic violence problem. Conviction rates for domestic violence cases have dropped precipitously from 33% to 9% on Brizzi's watch. Is there a rational explanation for the numbers? Perhaps. But this was Kennedy's turn to speak, and the numbers sting. Statistics cut both ways, but when they cut against your opponent, they can and do effectively elevate your argument.

Tailoring her message a bit to the group, Kennedy emphasizes her support for a hate crimes law in Indiana, which would include bias crimes committed against a person because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Indiana is just one of four states in the country without a hate crimes enhancement law, a distinction Kennedy doesn't think our state should be proud of. How will she accomplish it? Well, she will begin by using evidence of bias to seek enhanced penalties relying on current case law. But that isn't enough she urges. She believes a statutory law is needed, and she pledges to urge the General Assembly to enact a law. Brizzi made a similar pledge last year, but he abandoned those efforts without fanfare when GOP leaders told him to forget it.

Brizzi will get his chance to address the Indy Rainbow Chamber next month. Nobody should be dismissing Kennedy's chances. Brizzi faces an articulate opponent who is in command of the facts when she has the floor, despite attempts by his supporters to portray her otherwise. Add to that the fact that Marion Co. is trending Democratic, and that puts Brizzi in the fight for his political survival. His re-election is doable, but he can't afford any missteps between now and election day, and he's going to have to step up his game a bit to get the job done.