Mike Nerheim: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: GurneeWebsite: http://www.mikenerheim2012.comOffice sought: Lake State's AttorneyAge: 38Family: Married with three children.Occupation: Criminal defense attorney in private practice handling felony, juvenile, misdemeanor and traffic matters, including civil litigation. Partner in Lake County law firm. Attorney for Lakemoor Police Commission. Faculty Columbia College teaching DNA/evidence.Education: Juris Doctor, Cum Laude, The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois, 2000. Bachelor of Science, double major: Criminal Justice and Psychology, Winona State University, Winona, Minnesota, 1996.Civic involvement: Vice President Lake County Bar Foundation NICASA. Longstanding Teen Court Judge, Warren TownshipElected offices held: None. This is the first time I have sought public office.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Restoring public trust in the State's Attorney's Office.Key Issue 2 Vigorous enforcement and prosecution, always with a eye toward integrity and compassion, for the protection of the citizens of Lake County.Key Issue 3 Better use of forensic evidence including DNA and ongoing training used in conjunction with the creation of a Case Review Panel to ensure the validity of convictions.Questions Answers What do you plan to do to bolster public confidence in the operation of the prosecutor's office? What will you do to improve the handling of cases with a DNA element to them?There are several things I would do to bolster public confidence in the State's Attorney's Office, all of which I announced on day one of my campaign:Appoint a Case Review Panel to review old cases and convictions, and to develop protocols for the prosecution of cases with forensic evidence including DNA. The panel would consist of diverse members of the legal community--retired judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and law enforcement--who will review past cases in order to properly uphold the law. This would be a volunteer position, leveraging an incredible pool of legal talent--at no additional cost to taxpayers. Create a Public Integrity Unit to investigate and prosecute crimes involving official misconduct, public corruption, and fraud. There will be zero tolerance when it comes to government impropriety. Open up the lines of communication between the State's Attorney's Office and the public. While I believe criminal cases should be tried in the courtroom and not the media, the citizens of Lake County have a right to know what's happening in the office. Open and regular communication between the office and the media will ensure the public stays informed, particularly where high-profile cases are concerned. Work more closely with law enforcement in the investigation of crimes and gathering evidence. The State's Attorney's Office should be involved even before an arrest is made, so that there's no question criminal cases are being properly handled from start to finish. With the ever-increasing use and development of DNA evidence, it is crucial all prosecutors are constantly trained regarding the latest advances in forensic science and evidence. I would emphasize in-house training for all prosecutors so they are always up-to-speed on the latest advances in DNA and other forensic sciences. I've used DNA as a prosecutor and defense attorney, and teach DNA and the laws of evidence. I have experience prosecuting with DNA, defending with DNA and teaching DNA. I am the only candidate able to bring this depth of DNA experience to the office.Do you support reducing penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana? Why or why not?As State's Attorney, I will enforce the existing laws and use sentencing options which emphasize the graduated steps of supervision, drug treatment, and even diversionary programs similar to Cook County's Drug School available to first-time offenders. This will enable law enforcement and prosecutors to focus their attention on drug dealers.What improvements in the use of technology by the state's attorney's office do you propose? Be specific.There are a number of ways technology can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the State's Attorney's Office. For example, I would encourage training and better utilization of NOMAD--the mobile evidence presentation system in the courtrooms to allow prosecutors dynamic tools to present evidence to juries. Another area would be to improve electronic communication between law enforcement and the court house, and ensure secure document sharing to reduce paperwork, eliminate waste and cut down on costs. I would work to facilitate and implement the Integrated Justice Program allowing secure sharing of information between all law enforcement agencies and the State's Attorney's Office. In addition, technology can be leveraged to allow improved scheduling for police officers needing to testify thereby reducing the cost of overtime pay and enabling police officers to be more productive with their time rather than sitting in court waiting for cases that may or may not be heard. I would work with law enforcement and the Clerk's office to implement eCitation which would reduce costs, improve safety and help police officers work more efficiently. There are opportunities to streamline the arrest warrant process by enabling officers to use technology to expedite the felony review process. To improve public safety and communication, I would recommend enhancing the State's Attorney's Office website to make it more interactive.How can the state's attorney's office best participate in the discussion of construction of new court facilities' Be specific.The State's Attorney's Office is uniquely positioned to participate in the discussion of new court facilities because the Assistant State's Attorneys spend the majority of their work day in courtrooms handling cases, conducting trials and hearings. They know what works, what doesn't work and what can be improved upon. They also can be very helpful in the design of the courtrooms, including suggesting improvements in the courtroom process and making it more comfortable and secure, especially for child victims when they have to testify. For example, today a four-year old who sits in the witness stand cannot see over the ledge in front of them. The Assistant State's Attorneys use the court rooms every day and also hear first-hand from witnesses, victims and others in the courts about their needs and concerns. They are also best suited to provide input into technology in the court room to assist in the presentation of evidence to the juries.What improvements can be made in the efficiency of operations in the office in light of budget cutbacks' Be specific.Here are a few improvements I would make to improve the efficiency of the office:Streamline the process for communicating with and counseling victims of crimes. The State's Attorney's Office has a staff of highly-trained legal professionals, administrators and counselors who will be put to better use on behalf of victims so that these victims can receive help and support when they need it most. Restructure the Civil Division of the State's Attorney's Office and maximize the use of in-house resources. The office has more than 150 outstanding, experienced staffers who need to be fully utilized. Today, numerous civil cases are outsourced to private law firms which costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. These funds could be reallocated to hire more prosecutors and fight gangs and drugs. Actively seek federal grants and provide grant-writing assistance to local law enforcement agencies. Encourage and support the use of drug asset forfeiture laws (i.e., taking money from the criminals). Vigorously pursue the collection of millions of dollars owed to the county by people who have either pled guilty or been found guilty of crimes.