Toughness, fairness in the courts

Jim Kitchens has seen both sides of the law.

As a district attorney, he prosecuted drug dealers, murderers and all kinds of criminals.

As a defense attorney, he defended people accused of drug-related offenses, murder and other assorted crimes.

No one can call Jim Kitchens soft on crime. His work as a district attorney and his time spent training young prosecutors and law enforcement officers speaks for itself.

Throughout his career, Jim Kitchens has:

• Taught criminal law to law enforcement officers at Copiah-Lincoln Community College

• Taught classes at the Mississippi Enforcement Officers’ Training Academy

• Assisted with in-service training for the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics

• Assisted in teaching classes at Ole Miss and Mississippi College law schools

• Served as a mentor at Crystal Springs Middle School

• Served as a preceptor to law student interns from Ole Miss Law School

Jim Kitchens also knows that not everyone who appears before a judge accused of a crime is guilty. He knows that in America, every defendant — regardless of their guilt or innocence — is entitled to a fair defense.

Jim Kitchens believes in:

• Law enforcement agencies’ having all the tools necessary to rid our communities of crime.

• Every defendant’s having competent representation so that justice may be properly decided.

• Victims of violent crimes’ having certain rights as their cases are investigated and prosecuted.

• Defendants’ being treated fairly and presumed innocent until proven guilty, at which time their punishment should be equal to the crime they committed.

• Similar punishments for similar crimes, regardless of a person’s race, financial standing, family ties or political connections.

“I won’t do favors for the guilty,” Jim Kitchens said. “At the same time, I won’t presume someone’s guilt or innocence without first hearing both sides of the case. I’ll treat everyone fairly, and I’ll ensure to the best of my ability that everyone is given a fair shake.”