Wednesday, April 21, 2004

Landis to seek prosecutor’s post By JOHN MUNFORD jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com Chief Assistant Solicitor-General Lura Handley Landis has announced she will seek election as the top prosecutor of the Fayette County State Court. Landis, 54, of Fayetteville, is seeking the position that is being vacated by current Solicitor-General Steve Harris, who is running for a Superior Court judgeship. Landis, who is running as a Republican, has been assistant solicitor under Harris for the past eight years, prosecuting a variety of misdemeanor crimes from vehicular homicide, DUI, theft and drug possession cases to domestic violence, traffic, bad checks and county ordinance cases. The solicitor-general handles misdemeanor criminal cases which are punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a fine. An attorney since 1977, Landis was the first woman to practice law in Fayette County. In addition to prosecuting jury and bench trials, Landis has also argued appeals cases before the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court. While in private practice, Landis also served as a criminal defense attorney. “Superior law enforcement and ‘toughness’ on crime have always played an important role in making Fayette County a wonderful place to live and raise a family,” Landis said. Landis noted that the job of prosecutor “is to seek justice, not merely to convict.” She added that it is important for crime victims to have a voice in the legal process. “I also maintain a highly positive working relationship with the law enforcement officers in the county,” Landis said. “They know that I care about the prosecution of their cases and will work with them to see that justice is done.” Landis and her husband, Allan, have two children: Brooke, a middle-school teacher, and Scott, a senior at Fayette County High School.