Kassie Coleman

 Editor’s note: The League of Women Voters-East Central Mississippi posed the following question to Michael Grace and Kassie Coleman, candidates for district attorney for the 10th Circuit Court. Grace, a Democrat, will face Coleman, a Republican, in the Nov. 5 general election. 

Describe your experience in working with law enforcement, the legal community, as well as medical and mental health providers to address the social, legal, medical and mental health needs of people with opioid addiction. Describe your plan, after taking office, to reduce availability of opioids and expand treatment resources for people with opioid addiction.   

Kassie Coleman: Opioid addiction has impacted nearly every family in our community. I am proud of my work with law enforcement, fellow prosecutors, medical and mental health providers, community partners, and faith-based programs to combat the opioid epidemic. There are many components to effectively reducing the availability of opioids and expanding treatment resources for those who suffer with opioid addiction. 

As District Attorney, I have instituted policies that promote treatment and rehabilitation for opioid addicted offenders.  All eligible individuals receive an initial plea offer that includes the opportunity for treatment by completing the drug court program. I have more than ten years of experience working as a drug court team member. I believe in drug court programs because I have seen the life changing impact—participants get clean, complete educational programs, find jobs, reunite with their families, and overcome opioid addiction. Supervision and support are key elements to the success of our drug court program.  Participants work very hard to complete the drug court program. Drug court teams, which include members of the criminal justice system (e.g., Judge, prosecutor, public defender, law enforcement and probation), mental health professionals, community partners, and faith-based partners, are vital to the success of the program.  While treatment and rehabilitation are the main goals of drug court, the team must also ensure that participants are held accountable by utilizing consequences that will best help them succeed.  Drug court programs save taxpayer dollars by reducing incarceration numbers.  Participants also take an active role in our communities through volunteer service projects.

I have attended multiple trainings which focused on prosecuting all aspects of opioid related cases including prescription fraud, doctor shopping, and illegal distribution. I have also attended forums, summits, and classes that concentrated on integrating treatment programs into the traditional criminal justice system. I have provided instruction to other prosecutors on opioid related prosecution issues.  As a member of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association’s Legislative Committee, I have helped make some of the much-needed changes in our statutes. As we receive more opioid related research and data, we must educate ourselves on the best prosecution methods. As District Attorney I will continue to implement polices that help expand treatment options for opioid addicted offenders.

Lastly, I have more than fifteen years of experience prosecuting criminals who illegally distribute narcotics.  Prosecuting opioid related cases is a necessary function of our criminal justice system.  Most drug court participants admit if they had not been charged with a felony offense, they would not have sought treatment. Additionally, when offenders are identified as opioid distributors, they need to be prosecuted and held accountable for the harm they cause to our families.   As District Attorney I am committed to vigorously prosecuting those who are destroying our families by illegally selling opioids in our communities. 

My training and experience as a felony prosecutor for more than fifteen years, have prepared me to fight the opioid epidemic using the right balance of prosecuting distributors and helping expand resources for addicted individuals.