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Marion County GOP Prosecutor Candidate Duane Merchant

It’s been one of the positive aspects of the 2014 election campaign in Marion County. Republicans running three African-Americans for countywide offices.  In the final days of interviews with candidates, two African-Americans trying to make history appeared for extended  Afternoons with Amos campaign interviews.  Duane Merchant is the Republican candidate for Marion County Prosecutor and Emmitt Carney is the Republican candidate for Marion County Sheriff.  They appeared in back to back interviews on the program Thursday (Oct 23rd).  Merchant, who worked for a number of years as a Deputy Prosecutor handling key drug cases, talked extensively about what he’d do if elected prosecutor.  Merchant, for example, hopes that the proposed new Justice Center would not just house offices, a jail and courtrooms, but would have facilities to deal with providing alcohol, drug and substance abuse programs for defendants.  Merchant also believes life planning skills and courses are also important.  Merchant was somewhat supportive of the growing call for more mandatory minimums for those using a gun in committing crimes.  As Prosecutor Merchant says he would organize the office so that there would be a special unit of prosecutors dedicated to dealing with homicides.  He says its important that prosecutors with trial experience work with homicide detectives on these cases.

After Merchant’s interview, Afternoons with Amos talked with Sheriff’s candidate Emmitt Carney.  Carney said if elected he would make sure that the Sheriff’s Office “stayed within their budget”.  Carney said the budget for the office had grown by $30 million since the incumbent John Layton’s been Sheriff.  Carney said that he’d want the Sheriff to stay within its five areas of responsibility, which includes maintaining and enforcing the Sex Offender registry, serving warrants, protecting the courts and City-County Building.  But when asked, Carney said he would be open to handling other public safety responsibilities working with the Mayor and Public Safety Director. Several listeners took issue with Carney’s radio ads which they perceive to be negative ads against the current Sheriff.  Carney defended the ads saying they weren’t negative, just “comparative” pointing out facts.  Several listeners asked about how long Carney had been a Republican and whether he voted for the President Barack Obama or whether he had spoken negatively about him.  Carney admitted that he’d been a Democrat until a couple of years ago and said that he’d voted for the President and had never talked negatively about him. If elected November 4th, Duane Merchant would be the county’s first African-American Prosecutor.  If elected, Emmitt Carney would be the second African-American Marion County Sheriff and the third Black ever elected a sheriff in any Indiana county.  Click the Media Player to hear the Afternoons with Amos Interviews with Duane Merchant and Emmitt Carney. ©2014 WTLC/Radio One.   Duane Merchant Interview Runs 55 Minutes.    Emmitt Carney Interview Runs 37 Minutes.