Waggoner Recounts Courtroom Experiences
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
PIERCETON - "Basically you know that the buck stops with me - it's my responsibility and I will deal with it," Charles Waggoner said of his response to cases as a prosecutor.
He spoke Thursday night to a group of 12 supporters at the Blue Lion Coffeehouse, Pierceton. He spoke about his experience and his plans for the office if he is elected prosecutor of Kosciusko County.
Waggoner said he observed prosecutors in 50 counties and participated in grand juries in more than 30 counties of Indiana during his career with the Indiana State Police.
"I got to see prosecutors in action - excellent, excellent lawyers - and learn from them," Waggoner said.
He said his experience showed him "how law enforcement should work at the local level and gave me a love for law enforcement."
He described himself as a very aggressive prosecutor and said he would use discretion in signing plea agreements for criminals.
Waggoner said the focus of the prosecutor's office should be the criminals. "Criminals are the problem ... and I am the person capable of dealing with them," he said.
Waggoner said plea agreements are "kind of like taxes. Every politician would like to say he can do the job without taxes, but he can't. The plea agreement is a part of what you do as a prosecutor."
Waggoner said he has firmly held beliefs of law enforcement and administration of justice and would use them to prepare a plea agreement.
He said to prepare discussion for a plea agreement, he would first carefully look at the crime itself. He would then look at the presumptive sentence the defendant would face if he were convicted by a jury. Then aggravating circumstances and the criminal history of the defendant should be considered before the plea agreement is offered.
Waggoner said that if the crime is a second felony, he will often ask for the maximum sentence because the defendant has shown an "apparent disdain for the law."
He also favors the habitual offenders statute if the felony is the defendant's third. The statute adds a significant number of years to the sentence of the conviction,Waggoner said.
Waggoner said he will also prepare for court cases differently than the current administration. "When I started working here (in Kosciusko County prosecutor's office), a lot of cases were not properly prepared before the trial," Waggoner said.
He said he would prepare cases as he did as a deputy prosecutor, calling in the police investigators often to keep up-to-date, not preparing a case days before trial.
"You must have a relationship with public agencies," Waggoner said. "Sometimes it is lost and you must rebuild it."
Waggoner said if elected he hopes to strengthen the prosecutor's office relationship with local law enforcement.
Waggoner said if he is elected prosecutor, he knows there is tension between the police and prosecutor, but he would like the chance "in the next couple of years, (to) give them (police) the freedom to do the job rather than protecting themselves."
When asked how he would guarantee a good level of detective work, Waggoner said that he did it as a prosecutor while he was a deputy and chief deputy. He said when building a case, the prosecutor needs information from investigators. He said he is comfortable talking to investigators and sending them out to get more information if it is needed.
Waggoner also said that if the prosecutor is not effective, the police cannot be effective. Based on his 20 years of experience with the Indiana State Police, Waggoner said, he thinks he has experience and ability in building teams to investigate.
Waggoner said again that his campaign is focused on his experience, not on other candidates.
"My intention has been to look forward on what we can do in prosecution ... rather than look backward and point fingers," Waggoner said.
"Who will control Charles Waggoner if Charles Waggoner is prosecutor?" Waggoner asked. "As prosecutor, I am ruled by the law and my discretion. ... All I have to offer is a proper application of the law and my discretion."
Waggoner said, "I am controlled by the law and my conscience. If the case is there, I will prosecute it."
When he described his life's ambitions, he said, "You see it right here. ... That's what I went to law school for - to prosecute." [[In-content Ad]]
PIERCETON - "Basically you know that the buck stops with me - it's my responsibility and I will deal with it," Charles Waggoner said of his response to cases as a prosecutor.
He spoke Thursday night to a group of 12 supporters at the Blue Lion Coffeehouse, Pierceton. He spoke about his experience and his plans for the office if he is elected prosecutor of Kosciusko County.
Waggoner said he observed prosecutors in 50 counties and participated in grand juries in more than 30 counties of Indiana during his career with the Indiana State Police.
"I got to see prosecutors in action - excellent, excellent lawyers - and learn from them," Waggoner said.
He said his experience showed him "how law enforcement should work at the local level and gave me a love for law enforcement."
He described himself as a very aggressive prosecutor and said he would use discretion in signing plea agreements for criminals.
Waggoner said the focus of the prosecutor's office should be the criminals. "Criminals are the problem ... and I am the person capable of dealing with them," he said.
Waggoner said plea agreements are "kind of like taxes. Every politician would like to say he can do the job without taxes, but he can't. The plea agreement is a part of what you do as a prosecutor."
Waggoner said he has firmly held beliefs of law enforcement and administration of justice and would use them to prepare a plea agreement.
He said to prepare discussion for a plea agreement, he would first carefully look at the crime itself. He would then look at the presumptive sentence the defendant would face if he were convicted by a jury. Then aggravating circumstances and the criminal history of the defendant should be considered before the plea agreement is offered.
Waggoner said that if the crime is a second felony, he will often ask for the maximum sentence because the defendant has shown an "apparent disdain for the law."
He also favors the habitual offenders statute if the felony is the defendant's third. The statute adds a significant number of years to the sentence of the conviction,Waggoner said.
Waggoner said he will also prepare for court cases differently than the current administration. "When I started working here (in Kosciusko County prosecutor's office), a lot of cases were not properly prepared before the trial," Waggoner said.
He said he would prepare cases as he did as a deputy prosecutor, calling in the police investigators often to keep up-to-date, not preparing a case days before trial.
"You must have a relationship with public agencies," Waggoner said. "Sometimes it is lost and you must rebuild it."
Waggoner said if elected he hopes to strengthen the prosecutor's office relationship with local law enforcement.
Waggoner said if he is elected prosecutor, he knows there is tension between the police and prosecutor, but he would like the chance "in the next couple of years, (to) give them (police) the freedom to do the job rather than protecting themselves."
When asked how he would guarantee a good level of detective work, Waggoner said that he did it as a prosecutor while he was a deputy and chief deputy. He said when building a case, the prosecutor needs information from investigators. He said he is comfortable talking to investigators and sending them out to get more information if it is needed.
Waggoner also said that if the prosecutor is not effective, the police cannot be effective. Based on his 20 years of experience with the Indiana State Police, Waggoner said, he thinks he has experience and ability in building teams to investigate.
Waggoner said again that his campaign is focused on his experience, not on other candidates.
"My intention has been to look forward on what we can do in prosecution ... rather than look backward and point fingers," Waggoner said.
"Who will control Charles Waggoner if Charles Waggoner is prosecutor?" Waggoner asked. "As prosecutor, I am ruled by the law and my discretion. ... All I have to offer is a proper application of the law and my discretion."
Waggoner said, "I am controlled by the law and my conscience. If the case is there, I will prosecute it."
When he described his life's ambitions, he said, "You see it right here. ... That's what I went to law school for - to prosecute." [[In-content Ad]]