Voter Guide | Virginia Beach commonwealth's attorney

Harvey L. Bryant III

Party Republican

Residence Virginia Beach

Personal Born in Berkeley, Calif.; age 63; married, two children, two grandchildren

Education Law degree, University of Richmond, 1974; bachelor’s degree, history, College of William and Mary, 1968

Occupation Commonwealth’s Attorney, Virginia Beach

Experience Appointed to current post in 2000; won election in 2000, and re-election in 2001 and 2005; former supervisory assistant U.S. Attorney in Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk and Newport News divisions; former private practice defense attorney; former Norfolk deputy commonwealth’s attorney

Other Former captain in U.S. Army; past president of Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys

Contact (757) 424-0265; vbprosecutor@msn.com; www.harveybryant.com

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1. For the last nine and a half years, I’ve been honored to serve as commonwealth’s attorney. My 26 years experience as a prosecutor helps ensure that we remain one of the safest cities of our size in the nation. I’m very proud of the office team I have put together for Virginia Beach. The 94 dedicated public servants who prosecute 16,000 criminal charges yearly depend upon and deserve proven leadership and managerial skills.

I have prosecuted thousands of cases of all types from speeding to Capital Murder. In tough times like these Virginia Beach needs a steady experienced hand that has proven to be tough and fair in guiding the criminal justice system. I’ll continue to fight for public safety where our citizens live, work, and play.

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2. The distribution and use of illegal drugs is public safety’s biggest challenge in Virginia Beach. That is why I have implemented several polices and created a new team in my office to confront this danger. I do not allow plea agreements with drug dealers. I demand that every distribution case be taken to a jury. The drug dealer then must face our citizens and the harder sentences that usually result. I will continue aggressive legal actions to require the forfeiture of drug dealers’ assets, which can then be used by law enforcement. Larcenies, robberies, murder and many other crimes often stem from drug-related offenses. Advocating surrender by legalizing drugs as my opponent does is not the answer for ourselves or our children.

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3. Every prosecutor’s office must utilize plea agreements in some cases. There are many factors that give rise to their use: strength of the evidence, availability and cooperation of witnesses, victim’s opinions and desires, and the history of success in trying certain types of cases. The wise and sparing use of judicially sanctioned plea agreements helps obtain justice for society and victims. I do not allow plea agreements in drug distribution cases or in illegal use of weapon charges. My office follows the Victim’s Bill of Rights. Thus no plea agreements are made until after a review of the case by the prosecutor with both the victim and investigating officer. Working together we ensure the best possible outcome for all, and that justice is served.

Mark C. Hardman

Party Independent

Residence Virginia Beach

Personal Born in Lexington, Ky.; age 28; engaged

Education Law degree, University of Virginia, 2007; bachelor’s degree, finance, Virginia Tech, 2004

Occupation Unemployed; full-time candidate

Experience Former assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Portsmouth Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office (2008-09); former associate in financial services division of Williams Mullen firm (2007-08)

Other USA Cycling National Collegiate Champion, 2006 and 2007; human rights activist and volunteer

Contact (757) 252-305-2509; info@markhardman09.com; www.markhardman09.com

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1. “The United States wins its case whenever justice is done to one of its citizens in the courts” – inscribed on the wall at Department of Justice. I will never let the desire to secure a conviction take precedence over the Constitution. Prosecutors must pursue justice , not conviction rates. My chief deputy, a former senior federal prosecutor with unparalleled experience, will implement my reform policy. He has conducted and supervised hundreds of trials and complex investigations, including political corruption, bombings, corporate fraud and murder. He wrote and edited parts of the Department of Justice, Principles of Federal Prosecution – the “Bible” for prosecutors nationwide; and has taught investigative and trial techniques internationally, nationally and locally.

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2. Allocation of prosecutorial resources is the biggest public safety issue. The criminal justice system is broken. The 40-year war on drugs has been a total failure. Billions of dollars wasted and millions of people imprisoned. And we are not any safer for it. We need to refocus law-enforcement resources to protect families from domestic violence and criminal gangs. More prosecutor involvement to protect victims – to work with schools and community groups to identify youth crime and gang issues and intervene before harm occurs. Prevention, rather than phony get-tough-on-crime policies. Sen. Jim Webb has recognized the need for a complete overhaul of the criminal justice system. (The National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009). I endorse that effort.

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3. Properly negotiated plea agreements are in the people’s interest and should be a prosecutorial priority. As long as the prosecutor insists upon an agreement that takes into proper account the nature of the offense(s) and the criminal history and personal circumstances of the defendant, the certainty of a plea agreement with an agreed-upon sentence is always better than the uncertainty of a trial and an undetermined sentence or an acquittal. Arm’s-length pleas, without the implication of insider dealing, do not imply leniency but facilitate the efficient use of prosecutorial and court resources. Knee-jerk rejection of plea agreements, in drug cases or otherwise, in order to appear to be tough on crime, is posturing that undercuts effective law enforcement and real public safety.