Dear Editor:

David Wambach recently wrote a letter to the editor supporting his chosen successor for District Attorney claiming conviction rates are not a benchmark for prosecution skills in the courtroom. This goes against common sense, but is understandable in light of his young protégé’s poor trial record.

According to Mr. Wambach’s 2007 Annual Report, Peter Tempelis lost 4 of the 9 files he took to trial in 2007 and one of his convictions was dismissed after appeal, resulting in a meager conviction rate of 44%. Some of the cases lost at trial ranged from battery and felony child abuse to armed robbery. In sharp contrast to Tempelis’ record, the three other assistant district attorneys obtained convictions in 13 of the 16 cases they took to trial in 2007. A conviction rate of 81%.

Yet Mr. Wambach says that justice can’t be measured by the number of convictions. I doubt the victims in the cases lost by Mr. Tempelis would agree. If you or a loved one were victimized, would you want a prosecutor who loses 56% of his cases?

Makes me question Mr. Wambach’s objectivity and motivations in so wholeheartedly supporting someone to serve as our District Attorney whose trial skills fall so far below all of the other assistant district attorneys in that office.

Donald Grosskopf