At a glance: Durham DA candidates

Because no Republicans are running, the May 6 primary will be the election for the office of Durham district attorney. There will be a run-off if one of the candidates does not get 40 percent of the vote.

Here's a look at the four candidates running on the Democratic ticket.

 

 

Keith Bishop

 
Keith Bishop- Age: 45
- Private attorney
- Lifelong Christian grounded in his faith.
- Stands for honesty, integrity and fairness
- Opposes the death penalty
- Ran unsuccessfully for the DA seat in 2006

 

 

Freda Black

 
Freda Black- Age: 46
- Private attorney
- Assistant district attorney in Durham for 14 years before being dismissed by Mike Nifong in 2005
Helped successfully prosecute former Durham mayoral candidate and novelist Mike Peterson in 2003 in the death of his wife
- Top priorities include gangs and juvenile crime
Ran unsuccessfully for the DA seat in 2006

 

Tracey Cline

 
Tracey Cline- Age: 46
- Chief assistant district attorney in Durham
- Top priorities: juveniles with a focus on education. "We need to make our teenagers understand the respect and value of life so we can all be healthy and happy.”
- "The job of district attorney is to do justice. It does not mean to always win. It's just to do the right thing."

 

Mitchell Garrell

 
Mitch Garrell- Age: 52
- Assistant district attorney in Durham
- Opposes the death penalty in capital cases.
- “I would want to lead by example. There has never been any issue with discovery, candor with the court, anything other than openness with the criminal defense bar in my history there.”

 

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