D.A.’s Office Raises

Your article on Feb. 29, “D.A. Raises Despite Freeze in Hiring Draw Heated Ire,” portrayed the district attorney’s office in an unwarranted bad light.

The deputy district attorneys who were promoted have worked long and hard for many years to earn their promotions and have been justly rewarded. The promotions also show wisdom in recognizing merit so that experience and expertise can be retained and the San Diego County district attorney’s office can maintain its reputation as one of the best such offices in the country. Ten, not 12, deputies were promoted.

Edwin Miller’s requests for these promotions were made and approved before the freeze went into effect and were very routine.

Contrary to the tone and statements in the article, no deputy public defenders were laid off. Law clerks who had become lawyers were not hired as a result of the hiring freeze. The D.A.’s office also had clerks that we could not hire.

Finally, the voluntary work furlough program has generated criticism of the deputy district attorneys because we have refused to endorse it. This program was proposed on Dec. 12, accepted on Dec. 13, and our response was demanded by Dec. 16. We decided not to endorse it because of a variety of reasons: court commitments, case responsibility and a strong belief that we were being asked to pay for the mismanagement and the profligacy of others. The district attorney’s office has consistently lived within its county approved budget.

MICHAEL G. CARPENTER, President, Deputy District Attorneys Assn.