I prosecuted cases in Dubois Circuit Court for 9 years.  I got to know the victims whose cases show up in that courtroom.  They are often women and children – sometimes violated by defendants in unspeakable ways.  The details of their cases vary, but one thing holds true:  they never wanted to be a part of the criminal justice system. 

Over the coming weeks, in an effort to help voters make an informed decision, I will be posting details about some past cases from Circuit Court; I will especially focus on Judge Verkamp’s rulings. 

I respect Judge Verkamp in various ways and you won’t hear me say anything against him as a man.  But a judge is entrusted with tremendous responsibility.  With that responsibility should come transparency.  When a judge asks voters to give him six more years on the bench, voters have the right to know about the decisions he has made in the past. 

So let’s start looking at some specifics.  Because accountability matters.