Zimmerman has county’s values

I'm voting for John Zimmerman for Johnson County Attorney in the June 3 Democratic Primary. Our county needs a prosecutor who more closely represents the county's proud progressive values.

Zimmerman will aggressively prosecute domestic violence, sexual assault, acquaintance rape and burglary. Currently, under incumbent Janet Lyness, many cases of sexual assault are given to an Assistant County Attorney who performs poorly, prosecutes cases without sufficient evidence and with whom juries don't connect well.

The incumbent relentlessly prosecutes the victimless crime of marijuana possession. Her 'marijuana diversion program” forces casual drug users into treatment for a drug addiction from which they don't suffer.

Lyness seems incapable of exercising the prosecutorial discretion that is her power as county attorney. If charges brought to her represent racial or cultural biases of law enforcement personnel, she should drop them. Persons of color are six times more likely to be arrested in Johnson County than whites.

Zimmerman will use his position as elected county attorney to make us a safer community, not a less free one.

Donald Baxter

University Heights