I was selected and served on a jury which an assistant county attorney under Stephen Holmes prosecuted a rape case. Jury selection began on Monday and the trial lasted the entire week. It was not very long into the trial that it became apparent the county attorney’s office had no evidence that justified this case to be brought to trial. I listened and observed as the “rape victim,” while testifying in her own words, was brought to humiliation because it was obvious that this was a consensual act — not rape. I could only imagine as we listened to testimony from the accused of the agony he, his family and friends had been put through as the county attorney’s office played a “cat and mouse” game with all of them for an entire year!

On Friday when we were given the case to deliberate, it took us longer to decide if we wanted to break for lunch and then deliberate or take a “preliminary” vote before lunch. We decided to vote to see where all the jurors stood. First vote — all voted not guilty — end of deliberations on the case. However, we talked about sending a message to the judge that we were angry this case was even brought to trial.

This was obviously a waste of each juror’s time, the court’s time, the county attorney’s time, not to mention the pain inflicted on the defendant, his family and even the humiliated “victim” and her family. There had to also be a substantial debt incurred by the defendant and of course the taxpayers of Story County.

Story County deserves better justice and service. The defendant and his family are an average Story County family, and it has haunted me that the county attorney’s office, under the direction of Holmes, could do this to any family in Story County.

A vote for Dan Gonnerman will assure Story County taxpayers that this will not happen again. Dan will run a “hands-on” office and not allow his assistant to do as he wishes with people’s lives. This is an example of how much power the county attorney really has over your life.

Shawn Ludwig

Nevada