Prosecutors Alliance Action Executive Director Cristine Soto DeBerry issued the following statement in response to district attorney elections across Georgia, including the reelection this cycle of District Attorneys Sherry Boston (DeKalb County), Shalena Cook Jones (Chatham County), Dalia Racine (Douglas County) and Jared Williams (Augusta Judicial Circuit):

“This election cycle in Georgia, we saw voters across the state re-elect district attorneys committed to justice, fairness and public safety. Many of these prosecutors have endured years of relentless attacks and persistent efforts to undermine their work – particularly from the Georgia legislature, which repeatedly pushed legislation aimed at making it easier to remove DAs whose views they oppose. Yet, these DAs continue to show up every day with a resolve to fight for the common sense changes their communities support. We are proud that they will get to do so for another four years, and we will fight back against any attempt to prevent them from carrying out the will of the people.

This election cycle was not without setbacks in Georgia, but no movement for social change is linear and no single outcome will deter the movement for criminal justice reform. The special interests that are invested in the status quo are well-funded and well-organized, so we will keep mobilizing and sending a clear message that we don’t have to choose between justice and public safety. We can – and must – have both, and we’ll continue to work towards solutions that keep our communities safe and put people above punishment.”

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