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District attorneys differ on grand jury bill
Saturday, February 17, 2007 | No comments posted.
SALEM (AP) - A pair of district attorneys testified against a proposal that would require the state to record testimony when grand juries consider cases involving deaths at the hands of police.
District Attorney Bob Hermann of Washington County and District Attorney Walt Beglau of Marion County addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday on behalf of the Oregon District Attorney's Association, which worries that the recording requirement may lead witnesses to be less forthcoming with information.
Beglau said grand juries exist as a check against the potential abuse of the government's power to charge individuals with crimes, and have been kept secret to help protect witnesses, victims and grand jurors against retaliation.
“This fundamentally changes that process for one class of citizen,” he said, referring to law enforcement officers.
But one Oregon district attorney was firmly on the other side of the issue. District Attorney Michael Schrunk of Multnomah County testified that the release of grand jury transcripts in these sometimes controversial cases would allow citizens to judge the facts for themselves.
“This is not a Portland issue,” Schrunk said. “Every community is probably one gunshot away from an incident like this.”
The bill also has the support of state Attorney General Hardy Myers, who helped draft it with State Sen. Avel Gordly, a Portland independent.
Beglau said the matter should be left to the counties.
District Attorney Bob Hermann of Washington County and District Attorney Walt Beglau of Marion County addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday on behalf of the Oregon District Attorney's Association, which worries that the recording requirement may lead witnesses to be less forthcoming with information.
Beglau said grand juries exist as a check against the potential abuse of the government's power to charge individuals with crimes, and have been kept secret to help protect witnesses, victims and grand jurors against retaliation.
“This fundamentally changes that process for one class of citizen,” he said, referring to law enforcement officers.
But one Oregon district attorney was firmly on the other side of the issue. District Attorney Michael Schrunk of Multnomah County testified that the release of grand jury transcripts in these sometimes controversial cases would allow citizens to judge the facts for themselves.
“This is not a Portland issue,” Schrunk said. “Every community is probably one gunshot away from an incident like this.”
The bill also has the support of state Attorney General Hardy Myers, who helped draft it with State Sen. Avel Gordly, a Portland independent.
Beglau said the matter should be left to the counties.
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