Judicial nominees appear in Newport

NEWPORT - With the Pennsylvania Primary only weeks away, three candidates competing for the open seat on the Juniata/Perry Court of Common Pleas appeared before a moderate crowd at the Perry Valley Grange on Friday to woo voters.

Juniata County District Attorney Kenneth Mummah, Perry County Magisterial District Judge Daniel R. L. McGuire and Perry County Attorney Kevin E. Prosser are the three candidates hoping to win the seat vacated after judge Kathy A. Morrow was appointed president judge, following former President Judge C. Joseph Rehkamp's retirement and subsequent appointment as a senior judge for the district.

After a brief meet and greet session, the night's program began with a multi-pronged question directed at all the candidates.

"Why do you believe you are the best candidate for the position of judge and how would you address overcrowding in the prisons and how would you address housing for female inmates?"

McGuire said he was the "only candidate that has experience as a judge."

McGuire said his district court is the busiest in Perry County and he takes pride in his judicial rulings.

McGuire suggested that a good way to reduce the prison population would be to adjudicate "low level misdemeanours" at the district court level.

McGuire would also like to explore the possibility of starting a drug court for the 41st Judicial District.

"It is a valuable tool to help those with minor drug offenses ... it is one of my objectives," McGuire said.

"We also need to develop a facility to house females," he added.

Mummah then responded and said that as a candidate for judge he is best qualified for the job because he brings "life experience and legal experience" to the table.

"I have well rounded legal background," Mummah said.

Mummah said he is now serving his second term as district attorney of Juniata County and in addition he has experience in real estate, domestic, child custody cases and criminal law.

In addition, Mummah said that the Pennsylvania State Police Association has endorsed him.

As to the overcrowding issue in prisons, Mummah said this is an issue for Juniata County and suggests that those serving time for certain non-violent misdemeanours could be put on electronic monitoring for a portion of their time and this could help alleviate some of the overcrowding.

Housing female inmates, "is not cost effective," Mummah said, adding that this option had been explored and it was determined to be more cost effective to house female inmates in facilities in other counties.

Prosser the responded and said that there are "three very different candidates: a district judge and district attorney and I'm a private attorney."

"The reason I am the most qualified is the one thing I have done for the last 14 years is practice the law," Prosser said.

"I'm the only candidate that has spent substantial time in both court rooms in Perry and Juniata Counties," Prosser said of his experience with the judicial system.

"As far as overcrowding we don't have that problem in Perry County, in fact, we take federal inmates," Prosser said.

Prosser also agreed with Mummah on electronic monitoring for those who have committed non-violent low level misdemeanours.

As to the housing issue for women prisoners, Prosser said "we need to look at the economic feasibility."