HE WAS NARROWLY DEFEATED IN THE PRIMARY BY ATTORNEY ANDREA
HARRINGTON.
NOW APPOINTED BERKSHIRE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PAUL
CACCAVIELLO IS RUNNING A WRITE-IN CAMPAIGN FOR THE SEAT
VACATED BY DAVID CAPELESS EARLIER THIS YEAR.
WHY MOUNT THIS CAMPAIGN?
HERE'S WHAT CACCAVIELLO SAID.
>> SINCE THE ELECTION BACK ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, THE RESULTS I
SHOULD SAY, I PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO IT AND FRANKLY
THERE'S NOT A GROUND-SWELL OF SUPPORT BUT MORE URGING BY
PEOPLE WANTING TO PLEASE TO CONTINUE THE CAMPAIGN AND TO USE
THE ENTIRETY OF THE ELECTION PROCESS AND DO A WRITE-IN
CAMPAIGN.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T VOTE FOR WHATEVER REASON IT WAS,
WHETHER IT WAS PARTY OF ATION.
>> SO YOU ACTUALLY HEARD FROM PEOPLE SAYING I DIDN'T COME OUT
FOR THE PRIMARY BUT I WOULD SUPPORT YOU IN THE GENERAL
ELECTION.
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY, I LITERALLY COULDN'T LEAVE MY HOUSE WITHOUT
SOMEONE COMING UP TO ME ASKING ME TO CONSIDER IT.
AND I BELIEVE I'M THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THIS POSITION.
I BELIEVE I HAVE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR VOTERS
TO -- TO CONSIDER, TO BE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, BUT IT REALLY
WAS THAT.
IT WAS -- IF I LEFT THE HOUSE, LEFT THE OFFICE, TEXT MESSAGES,
EMAILS, PHONE CALLS.
>> WHAT ABOUT THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE AND THEY'RE PRETTY VOCAL
AT THIS POINT YOU KNOW WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND ANDREA
HARRINGTON AND LET THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS WORK IN THE
WAY THAT IT SHOULD?
>> SURE, THAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE FROM HERE WHO FOR WHATEVER
REASON DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE REST OF THE COUNTY WEIGH IN ON
WHO SHOULD BE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
THIS IS A -- THIS IS A POSITION THAT'S FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON
IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
ATES REALLY NOT JUST FOR ONE PARTY.
THAT IS A MESSAGE THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING TO ME
FOR -- URGING ME TO TAKE ON THIS TASK, SO I'VE HEARD THOSE
SAME -- THOSE SAME COMMENTS BUT CONSIDERING THE NARROW
VICTORY -- >> THE 100 OR SO VOTES; RIGHT?
>> ABOUT 3% -- ABOUT 3% DIFFERENCE AND ARE THEY FROM
HERE URGING THE AND HAVING A DEEP, DEEP CONCERN THAT THEY
DIDN'T HAVE A CANDIDATE THAT THEY COULD VOTE FOR.
THEY DID NOT HAVE A CANDIDATE THAT HAD EXPERIENCE IN DOING
THIS JOB AND THE QUALIFICATIONS TO ACTUALLY DO THIS JOB.
>> ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE MECHANISM OF WRITE-IN AND
THEN I'LL MOVE US ON TO ISSUES BUT, CACCAVIELLO, THAT'S A STUFF
NAME FOR PEOPLE TO WRITE IN AND THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE WITH THEIR
ENDORSEMENT HAD TO GO IN AND CORRECT THE SPELLING OF YOUR
NAME.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DEAL WITH THE WRITING PROCESS.
>> WELL, DEBUNK WITH THE SPELLING OF IT.
I'D LIKE PEOPLE TO SPELL MY NAME CORRECTLY.
I'VE BEEN DOING IT MYSELF FOR SOME 53 YEARS BUT PEOPLE
SHOULDN'T BE DISSUADED BY IT.
IT IS THE VOTERS' INTENT AND IN SOME WAYS IT COULD BE A BIT OF A
CURSE BUT IT COULD BE A BLESSING.
THERE IS ONLY ONE PAUL COCCAVIELLO IN
BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
IF YOU TRY TO SPELL MY NAME, MY LAST NAME PEOPLE WILL KNOW
YOU'RE HE TRYING TO SPELL MY 11:00 AM.
>> OPIOIDS CAME UPAND THE SHERIFF WHO HAS ENDORSED YOU
DOESN'T AGREE WITH MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT MAT IN THE
PRISON SETTING.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MEDICATED ASSISTED TREATMENT.
>> MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE SHERIFF'S POSITION ACTUALLY IS
THAT THERE ARE PILOT PROGRAMS.
BERKSHIRE DOES NOT HAPPEN TO BE ONE OF THEM BUT HE'S LOOKING TO
SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT.
>> YEAH, THAT'S WHAT HE WAS TOLD US WHEN HE WAS ON THE SHOW.
>> HAVING SAID THAT, I UNDERSTAND THAT POSITION.
IT'S THE NOTION OF LET'S NOT BE ON ANY DRUG AT ALL.
I MEAN, THAT REALLY IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL SO I CAN'T -- I
CAN'T DISAGREE WITH THAT IDEA.
I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT IDEA.
THAT'S ULTIMATELY THE GOAL.
SO I'M IN FAVOR OF SEEING THE RESULTS OF THOSE PILOT PROGRAMS.
LET'S SEE IF THAT ACTUALLY IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE
DOING TO -- AS ANOTHER AVENUE OF ADDRESSING THE OPIATE PROBLEM.
>> AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU'VE BEEN IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE FOR ALMOST -- YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 30 YEARS, RIGHT, FIRST
ASSISTANT MORE RECENTLY AND THEN YOU WERE APPOINTED DISTRICT
ATTORNEY AFTER DAVE CAPELESS DECIDED TO STEP DOWN AND THERE
WAS SOME CRITICISM THAT THERE WAS BACK ROOM DEALING AND GOOD
OLD BOYS NETWORK.
>> WHICH I HAVE TO TELL YOU I'M GLAD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ADDRESS THAT.
THOSE KIND OF INNUENDOS WHICH HAS BEEN LAUNCHED AGAINST ME AND
THE PRIOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY ARE FALSE INNUENDOS.
I HAD TO BE VETTED BY THE GOVERNOR AND THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR LOOKING AT MY QUALIFICATIONS.
I WASN'T PICKED OUT OF A HAT WHICH WAS THE INNUENDO WHICH HAS
BEEN LAUNCHED AGAINST ME IN THE CAMPAIGN.
AS YOU CAN TELL, THAT BOTHERS ME.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR 30 YEARS.
I'VE TOLD PEOPLE I'M RUNNING ON MY 30 YEARS OF SERVICE, AND
INCUMBENCY OF SERVICE NOT ON 5 MONTHS OF A TITLE SO THE IDEA
THAT THIS WAS A BACK ROOM DEAL WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED AT A PRESS
CONFERENCE IS INCREDIBLY CONFUSING AND MISLEADING TO THE
PUBLIC.
HAVING SAID THAT, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
>> NO, THAT'S QUITE ALL RIGHT SOMETHING ELSE THAT CAME UP OVER
THE COURSE OF THE CAMPAIGN SOME OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY EXPRESSED CONCERN -- THEY FEEL LIKE THE
OFFICE HASN'T BEEN FAIR TO THEM OVER THESE MORE RECENT YEARS AND
YOU'VE BEEN IN THE OFFICE SEVERAL OF THOSE -- MANY OF
THOSE YEARS AS YOU SAID WHETHER IT'S BAIL -- THE WAY BAIL'S IS
DECIDED OR CHOICE OF JUROR THEY FEEL THE OFFICE HAS BEEN UNFAIR
TO THEM.
>> LET'S ADDRESS THE BAIL SITUATION FIRST.
I HOPE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT BAIL IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS
IN COURT.
IT'S A DETERMINATION IS SOMEONE GOING TO COME BACK SO THAT'S AT
THE END OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, SO ALL OF THE SOCIAL
ILLS THAT HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED IN THE CAMPAIGN, THOSE THINGS
HAPPEN BEFORE THEY GET TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF ADDRESSING THEM BUT LET'S BE -- LET'S BE
REALISTIC ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE THE BASIN OF WHAT HAPPENS WITH THOSE SOCIAL ILLS.
THE THINGS -- THE BAD THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT HAVE ALREADY
HAPPENED.
SOMEONE HAS COMMITTED A CRIME, FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY'RE NOW
IN COURT AND SO NOW WE AS THE PROSECUTORS HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS
WITH A JUDGE, AND IF THE SITUATION CALLS FOR BAIL, ALL
WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, IS THE PERSON GOING TO COME BACK TO
COURT?
WHAT ARE THE FACTORS YOU LOOK AT.
RACE IS NOT ANYTHING THAT ANYBODY LOOKS AT AND CERTAINLY
NOT FROM MY OFFICE'S STANDPOINT.
>> SO YOU THINK THAT'S AN UNFAIR CRITICISM COMING FROM THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY?
>> I THINK -- IT'S AN UN FFAIR CRITICISM AND THAT THE SOCIAL
ILLS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE ANYONE EVER HITS A COURTROOM.
THAT'S WHERE THAT WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE.
BUT WHEN THEY COME IN TO COURT, WE HAVE OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.
WE HAVE VICTIMS IN CASES SO THAT IF THE SITUATION IS THAT THERE
IS A NEED FOR BAIL BECAUSE SOMEONE HASN'T SHOWN UP FOR
COURT BEFORE, THEY HAVE A HISTORY OF DEFAULTING, THAT'S A
SERIOUS CRIME THAT THE EVIDENCE IS STRONG.
THERE'S ABOUT 13 FACTORS THAT THE PROSECUTORS HAVE AN
OBLIGATION TO LOOK AT AND EVALUATE ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS
BUT THE SUGGESTION THAT RACE HAS ANY IMPACT ON THAT IS REALLY
UNFAIR AND DOES NOT HAPPEN.
>> WE'RE GETTING SHORT ON TIME, LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT BUT YOU
SAID CASE-BY-CASE BASIS SOMETHING ELSE THAT CAME UP OVER
THE CAMPAIGN WAS MINIMUM MANDATORY SENTENCING WHICH YOU
SAID YOU WOULD ADDRESS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS ABOUT THE
CASE FROM BARRINGTON FROM A DECADE AGO WHERE MINIMUM
MANDATORY WERE USED FOR SOME TEENAGERS WHO SOLD MARIJUANA
WITHIN A SCHOOL ZONE -- DAVID CAPELESS DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND
USE MINIMUM MANDATORY WOULD YOU MAKE A DIFFERENT DECISION IN A
SEPARATE CASE.
>> I NEVER GIVE A HYPOTHETICAL IN THE CASE AND EVERY CASE IS
DIFFERENT AND OF THE CASE, OF THE MARIJUANA CASE THAT'S BEEN
THE ISSUES IN THAT CASE THE MARIJUANA CASES.
LET'S LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD OF THE 12, 10 OF THEM WAS MARIJUANA
CHARGES WERE DISMISSED.
SO I THINK WHAT GETS LOST IN THE TRANSLATION IS THAT THOSE
ACTUALLY DIDN'T GET PROCEEDED ON.
>> BUT ONE -- >> THEY WENT TO TRIAL AND THEY
CHOSE TO GO TO TRIAL BUT THAT'S THE OTHER 10 WERE DISMAND THAT'
WHEN I TALK ABOUT HAVING EXPERIENCED DISCRETION.
THAT'S THE REALITY OF THAT CASE AND THE OTHER PART OF THE CASE
THAT GETS LOST IN TRANSLATION IT WAS NOT MARIJUANA, IT WAS
COCAINE AND KETOMEAN.
IT WAS A CALL TO THE COMMUNITY FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PLEASE
COME HELP US.