That is, one name on the
Dallas County ballot.
Now to Crusoes challenger though.
Elizabeth frizzell.
She's a former judge who lost by
less than 600 votes last time.
Judge welcome to our program.
It's nice to have you here.
I want to ask you about the incumbent.
Judge John Creuzot has
implemented as you well know,
some bold reforms to the office
since he took office in 2018.
I want to ask about two of them separately.
The first is to stop prosecuting
anyone for theft for stealing
things under $750 in value.
Would you keep that or would you
eliminate that because it sounds
like from your campaign stuff
that you don't like that at all.
I don't like the policy.
I don't think that policy is effective.
I don't think it keeps us safe and
I have heard so many complaints
from all over Dallas County, North,
South East and West as I've been
campaigning and even before I started
campaigning for District Attorney,
I think we can reform the criminal
justice system and still keep
everyone safe when you have a
policy that you won't prosecute
any case of theft of $750 or less,
what happens?
Is the cashier's and the clerks
don't call the police?
Because when they call the police and they
come out and take their time to write a
police report and send it to the DA's office,
the DA's office won't prosecute it.
And so you're not really documenting
who's committing those offenses.
Judge,
another big reform that he made is low
level first time marijuana possession.
He's not prosecuting those cases at all.
Would you continue that,
or would you eliminate that?
I think if you have a first
time misdemeanor marijuana case,
there is a way that you cannot
prosecute it and still help that person.
We don't want to send the wrong message
that it's OK to smoke marijuana or it's
OK to steal if it's a first time offense.
I think our goal should be within
the DA's office to make sure that
you don't become a repeat offender.
So even though I wouldn't prosecute
first time, misdemeanor marijuana,
I would try to help them and
get them in a program.
But I don't agree with the theft policy.
I don't think when someone steals from you,
you should feel like I can't call the police.
No one is going to help me.
No one is going to do anything.
In fact, what is happening?
We have crime rings.
That are coming in stealing less than $750,
going back out on the street,
splitting it and selling it on the street.
I don't think that was
the current Diese intent,
but that is what is happening and
he hasn't corrected that policy.
That would be a policy.
I would definitely change as
soon as I get an
office judge. The DA is also the incumbent,
rather has also ordered prosecutors recently,
not to recommend to a grand jury whether
they should or should not indict a case.
That's something that that you know,
normally happens in most counties
across the state and across the country.
The DA has said just let the
facts speak for themselves.
Do you support this new order?
I don't. I think it's
actually a dangerous policy.
I've never seen Adeaze office vowed not
to advocate for fairness and justice.
I think what Dallas County expects from
our District Attorney is to advocate.
I've been a judge for 20 years
practicing criminal law for 29.
I understand a judge's role is to
be fair and neutral and impartial,
but an advocate.
A prosecutor is supposed to tell the
grand jury you should indict this case,
because this is a ****** or robber or
murderer, society needs to be safe.
Or you should not indict this case,
because there's not enough evidence.
I think it's very important that we
play that role of being an advocate,
especially when we're the only
ones in the grandchildren.
We we have about 30 seconds left here.
Judge, I want to ask you about how
you coming very close to winning.
Last time you were within 589
votes out of 100,000 cast,
but you questioned the results
after the 2018 election.
Do you still think there was cheating
involved? You know what?
I'm not sure about that.
I've never seen an election that
closed 2.3 million people in Dallas
and I lost by .0001 this time.
I'm hoping to win by a lot
rather than lose by little.
I'm not sure what was going on there.
I never could get to the bottom of it,
but it's a new election.
A lot of people told me I'm
not going to vote anymore.
'cause I don't think the elections
are fair and I try to encourage them.
You should vote.
It's important to participate in the process,
and I'm hoping that everyone will
show up to vote not just March 1st.
But on February 14th for early voting,
and hopefully it'll be a fair
process for everyone involved.
Time good luck to you.
Thank you Jason. I appreciate you.