Career prosecutor, public defender (D) vie for Henderson Justice Court bench
Henderson Assistant City Attorney Sandy DiGiacomo, who won 33% of votes in the primary election, and Clark County public defender Marla Renteria, who won just under 22%, are squaring off in the general election for a seat on the Henderson Justice Court.
Renteria, a public defender for 11 years, cites legal perspective as the biggest difference between herself and DiGiacomo.
“I operate from a perspective that a defendant is innocent until proven guilty,” she said during an interview. “Prosecutors in general have a fundamental belief that they must seek prosecution at all costs. They operate from an inherently negative belief that the police have arrested someone who’s committed an offense. You see the perspective from the beginning of the bail argument – the person is guilty, so you must continue to hold them.”
Prosecutors, she says, rely on investigators rather than interacting with defendants. “Defense attorneys tend to be more hands on. I am dealing directly with my clients and their family.”
https://nevadacurrent.com/2024/09/23/career-prosecutor-public-defender-vie-for-henderson-justice-court-bench/