2 DEMS FACE OFF FOR PROSECUTOR

As the June 6 Johnson County primary elections approach, the race to
succeed retiring County Attorney J. Patrick White has two Democratic
candidates pitted against each other.

Monday marked the first day for prospective county officials to file
affidavits of candidacy in the Democratic and Republican primaries,
which will determine who will vie for seats in the November general
election. Because no Republican is expected to run for county
attorney, the Democratic primary will likely decide who will become
the county's top prosecutor.

In a race for the Democratic nod that pits a county veteran against a
youthful upstart, Assistant Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness will
face off against Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks. Lyness
has thus far emphasized her experience as a 15-year criminal and
civil lawyer for the county, while the 31-year-old Maybanks has
stressed his energy and political activism.

Lyness wants to increase the efficiency of the office by changing the
way certain crimes are prosecuted. She said Monday she would seek to
assign assistant attorneys to prosecute all crimes committed by a
particular defendant, rather than splitting cases up by type.

"Right now, a person could have a domestic abuse, a drug charge, and
an OWI, and we maybe don't have the same prosecutor," she said. "To
coordinate, that would help a lot."

Despite their age differences, the platforms of Lyness and Maybanks
center on several similar issues. Both said they'll focus on
prosecuting victim-based crimes, such as domestic and sexual abuse
and crimes against children and dependent adults, which they agree
require "special attention."

Both also want to clear up clutter in the courts and the overflowing
Johnson County Jail. Lyness proposes a court devoted solely to drug
offenses and the release of non-dangerous offenders from custody.

Maybanks wants to establish a program to divert cases involving
alcohol and low-level drug offenses from the courts. If community
service and treatment requirements are met, charges would be erased
from an offender's record after six arrest-free months - a plan he
feels UI students would receive warmly.

"My policies would lessen the number of students who leave school
with these things on their record and would give them an opportunity
to invest in the community by earning off criminal offenses," said
Maybanks, who, as a minor, was cited twice for possessing alcohol illegally.

Lyness said her experience with various department heads and the
Board of Supervisors, as well as her work in civil law, give her an
essential advantage over Maybanks, who lacks significant noncriminal
litigation experience.

"Civil issues are a large part of the county attorney's job," Lyness
said. "And I think my experience there really shines."