Intro: The Dallas Examiner’s exclusive feature We Examine, looks at the career of Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins.
DE: In your short two years in office, you have not only become a Texas public figure, you have gained national notoriety. Are you surprised by the amount of media attention you have received? Do you think it is tied to the fact that you are the first African American district attorney in a state not known for racial advancements?
Watkins: I think initially it wouldn’t have surprised me that we would have gotten this attention for a short time because of the fact I’m African American. But after almost three years, the fact that we’re still on the national radar screen is a bit surprising to me. But I think it’s a result of the progressive policies we’ve put in place, especially dealing with the wrongfully convicted, which tends to cause the national folks to continue to pay attention. It is a bit surprising, but I’m grateful for it because it gives us the opportunity to spread the word on how law enforcement should be dispensed and the hope is that other agencies throughout the country will take note and do the same thing.
DE: You and Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price have clashed on the issue of the D.A. office’s budget, as well as others. How would you describe your relationship with Price, and are the disputes anything more than two ambitious Black men battling for a place in the spotlight, or are there serious philosophical differences between the two of you?
Watkins: I don’t know if I would characterize it as that. I think on the issue [of the budget] we disagree. Unfortunately, because of the sensationalizing of the disagreement, the media paid a lot of attention to it and made it personal, when it was never personal. It was just that he advocated one side and I advocated the other. And I think this does not bode well for our local media. At some point they will have to realize that just because you have two African American men who may disagree they would stop sensationalizing that and just focus on the actual issue and not the personalities. I think it does a disservice to Commissioner Price and all that he’s done for his years in office and it does a disservice to me for all that we’re trying to do, because they paint the picture as I’m the new kid on the block and Commissioner Price is on his way out. And I don’t think that’s fair to him. It’s just one of those deals where we disagreed on the issue. It’s been resolved, and we’re still allies as it relates to politics, but I’m sure at some point we will disagree on the issues again but it shouldn’t be painted as something personal.
DE: As a Dallas native, you undoubtedly have some first-hand knowledge of how African Americans were victimized by the criminal “just-us” system in Dallas County and Texas in general. How much of your environment influenced your decision to become an attorney?
Watkins: I would say that most of the reason I am an attorney is because of my experience here in Dallas. Obviously, I draw back on those experiences and as a result of that I wanted to go in a different direction than what I had seen and experienced as a kid growing up in Dallas. The majority of my decision was based upon the experience that I have had in Dallas and I wanted to change things, and I’m fortunate enough to be in a position to do that and I will continue and do that.
DE: In a state that places a high premium on law and order and being tough on crime, you seem to have struck a balance on being tough on crime and sensitive to values such as fairness and justice. Can you share your philosophy on crime prevention, prosecution and criminal justice?
Watkins: I think if you ask anyone who pays really close attention to the issue of criminal justice, they would advocate against the whole philosophical approach of being “tough on crime.” It does not work. We’ve seen the explosion of prison institutions being built across the state of Texas some years ago, and yet here we are years later still dealing with criminal activity at a high rate. Just housing individuals so you can appear to be tough does not really address the problems which cause people to commit crimes, and so during the campaign and even today we advocate a different approach, and that’s to be smart on crime. That means that not only do we look at the punishment aspect but we also look at the rehabilitative aspect of it, which I think we’ve gotten away from for a long time. Now we’re trying to refocus and get back on track so we can have a positive impact on criminal activity.
DE: After 12 years in prison, Claude Simmons and Christopher Shun Scott — wrongly sentenced to life in prison for the 1997 robbery and murder of Alfonso Aguilar — were set free in on Friday, Oct. 23, in what you called a turning point for Dallas County. As DA, how will you prevent such miscarriages of justice during your tenure?
Watkins: I think just the fact that we are looking at these cases — these wrongful convictions — has gone a long way, and the fact that our philosophical approach is not about a conviction rate or winning cases. It’s about providing adequate public safety. That is how you keep from making those same mistakes that we did in the past.
DE: Where do you see yourself and your career 10 years from now? Do you see yourself running for higher elected office?
Watkins: You know, any politician that tells you that they’re satisfied with where they are is not telling you the truth, so I don’t know where I will be 10 years from now. I would hope that, wherever I am, I will be in a position to make a difference, and if that’s still being the DA in Dallas County, that’s something I would be satisfied with.
DE: It’s been widely reported that the commissioners are considering using an outside law firm for civil litigation strictly because of the cost savings that might come through with such a move. But, do you think that it has more to do with the commissioners wanting lawyers who will tell them what they want to hear?
Watkins: Obviously, it had nothing to do with costs, because if you do a cost analysis of the government providing legal services as opposed to a civil firm, there’s no comparison. So this is all political, this is because as DA, I’m following the law and not giving the commissioners cover when they violate it, and I think the public should know that. I think their attempt to get rid of the civil section will be futile and it will make them look bad. I just think it’s unfortunate that we have to go down that road in such an important time in our history, to deal with such a frivolous issue.
DE: What do you consider the most challenging aspect of your job?
Watkins: I think the most challenging thing is dealing with media outlets and getting the story out as it should be. Just today I was interviewing with someone and it was less about the truth and more about showing a point of view, or presenting to their audience what they think should be told as opposed to what the truth is. And I think that’s a difficult proposition politically, because when you get someone in a certain position who is concerned about doing what is in the best interests of all citizens, a lot of times it’s not portrayed that way because the media may have a different agenda.
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