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Hillsborough County State Attorney

 
Mark Ober
Mark Ober
Published Oct. 12, 2016

Mark Ober faces his first reelection challenge in more than a decade. Ober, in office for 15 years, is a fixture of the local political and legal community. Andrew Warren, a former prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice, has vowed to pursue progressive reforms to criminal justice in Hillsborough.

About the job: The State Attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit is responsible for prosecuting all felony and misdemeanor crimes in Hillsborough County. The office has a staff of 308, including 135 lawyers, and a budget of $26 million. The State Attorney serves a four-year term and is paid an annual salary of $154,140.

Mark Ober

Party:

Republican

Republican

Profession:

Attorney

Attorney

About the candidate:

Ober, 65, has been Hillsborough County's state attorney since 2001. He began his career as a Hillsborough prosecutor and later worked as a criminal defense attorney. In both capacities, he handled some of the area's most notorious cases. On the campaign trial, he touts his nearly four decades of legal experience, which includes time spent as both a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney, as his most significant asset.

Ober, 65, has been Hillsborough County's state attorney since 2001. He began his career as a Hillsborough prosecutor and later worked as a criminal defense attorney. In both capacities, he handled some of the area's most notorious cases. On the campaign trial, he touts his nearly four decades of legal experience, which includes time spent as both a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney, as his most significant asset.

Education:

University of Florida, B.A., English; South Texas College of Law, J.D.

University of Florida, B.A., English; South Texas College of Law, J.D.

How do you foresee the office moving forward in death penalty cases? Do you support or oppose a unanimous jury verdict in order to impose the death penalty?

"I support state law regarding jury verdicts in death penalty cases. I'm bound to follow the law." He said his office will comply with whatever the state Supreme Court decides in pending cases that deal with the constitutionality of the death penalty. "We will have to wait and see on the issue."

"I support state law regarding jury verdicts in death penalty cases. I'm bound to follow the law." He said his office will comply with whatever the state Supreme Court decides in pending cases that deal with the constitutionality of the death penalty. "We will have to wait and see on the issue."

Explain your position on charging juvenile offenders as adults. Are too many juveniles being charged as adults in Hillsborough County?

"I recognize greatly the impact that charging juveniles as adults has when they come into the criminal justice system. It can tarnish their future. As we talk about juveniles in particular, we continue to explore and implement programs to divert juveniles without giving them a criminal record." He said in the last five years there has been a significant decline in the number of juveniles charged as adults in Hillsborough County. He said the decision to charge is a "balancing act" and only the worst offenders should be charged as adults.

"I recognize greatly the impact that charging juveniles as adults has when they come into the criminal justice system. It can tarnish their future. As we talk about juveniles in particular, we continue to explore and implement programs to divert juveniles without giving them a criminal record." He said in the last five years there has been a significant decline in the number of juveniles charged as adults in Hillsborough County. He said the decision to charge is a "balancing act" and only the worst offenders should be charged as adults.

As state attorney, what could you do to address the problems of violent crime and gang violence?

"Education is a key to crime prevention." He supports the use of programs like Safe & Sound Hillsborough, which host violence prevention events in schools. In general, he supports initiatives aimed at educating youth about the consequences of crime. "We need to change behavior," he said.

"Education is a key to crime prevention." He supports the use of programs like Safe & Sound Hillsborough, which host violence prevention events in schools. In general, he supports initiatives aimed at educating youth about the consequences of crime. "We need to change behavior," he said.

What is your position on the use of civil citations for juveniles who possess misdemeanor amounts of marijuana?

"I have always been a firm believer in diversion programs for offenders caught with small amounts of marijuana." He notes that his office was involved earlier this year in the implementation of a citation pilot program for juveniles who possess less than 20 grams of marijuana.

"I have always been a firm believer in diversion programs for offenders caught with small amounts of marijuana." He notes that his office was involved earlier this year in the implementation of a citation pilot program for juveniles who possess less than 20 grams of marijuana.

Assets/liabilities/ income:

Assets: a home, two other properties, a truck, a boat, retirement funds, annuities, life insurance policy Liabilities: mortgage Net worth: $1,837,845

Assets: a home, two other properties, a truck, a boat, retirement funds, annuities, life insurance policy Liabilities: mortgage Net worth: $1,837,845

Personal:

Home: Tampa Divorced, with an adult daughter and son

Home: Tampa Divorced, with an adult daughter and son

Campaign fundraising:

Contributions: $306,907 Expenditures: $111,347

Contributions: $306,907 Expenditures: $111,347

On the web:

Website: markober.com

Website: markober.com

Andrew Warren

Party:

Democrat

Democrat

Profession:

Attorney

Attorney

About the candidate:

Warren, 39, is a former federal prosecutor who specialized in white-collar crime and multi-million dollar fraud cases. Originally from Gainesville, he and his family moved to Tampa in 2013. He has said he chose to run for state attorney to try to effect change within the criminal justice system. He pledges a renewed emphasis on efforts to rehabilitate criminals and reduce recidivism, rather than focus solely on retribution.

Warren, 39, is a former federal prosecutor who specialized in white-collar crime and multi-million dollar fraud cases. Originally from Gainesville, he and his family moved to Tampa in 2013. He has said he chose to run for state attorney to try to effect change within the criminal justice system. He pledges a renewed emphasis on efforts to rehabilitate criminals and reduce recidivism, rather than focus solely on retribution.

Education:

Brandeis University, B.A., economics and political science; Columbia University Law School, J.D.

Brandeis University, B.A., economics and political science; Columbia University Law School, J.D.

How do you foresee the office moving forward in death penalty cases? Do you support or oppose a unanimous jury verdict in order to impose the death penalty?

"I believe there should be a unanimous verdict. If there is unanimity required to convict, it should be unanimity required to impose capital punishment." He said he would still prosecute capital cases even though the current statute does not require jury unanimity in imposing a death sentence. "The most important thing about the death penalty is we get it right," he said. "If we have a death penalty, it needs to be applied fairly and consistently and rarely."

"I believe there should be a unanimous verdict. If there is unanimity required to convict, it should be unanimity required to impose capital punishment." He said he would still prosecute capital cases even though the current statute does not require jury unanimity in imposing a death sentence. "The most important thing about the death penalty is we get it right," he said. "If we have a death penalty, it needs to be applied fairly and consistently and rarely."

Explain your position on charging juvenile offenders as adults. Are too many juveniles being charged as adults in Hillsborough County?

"We charge a higher percentage of juveniles as adults in Hillsborough than just about anywhere else in the entire country. Florida is an outlier because of the way the law is set up, and Hillsborough County is one of the top one or two counties for direct filing. Those policies are counterproductive in the long-term and expensive. I would improve the fairness and consistency with which we charge cases here."

"We charge a higher percentage of juveniles as adults in Hillsborough than just about anywhere else in the entire country. Florida is an outlier because of the way the law is set up, and Hillsborough County is one of the top one or two counties for direct filing. Those policies are counterproductive in the long-term and expensive. I would improve the fairness and consistency with which we charge cases here."

As state attorney, what could you do to address the problems of violent crime and gang violence?

"You can't directly prevent those things, but you can indirectly influence the likelihood of them happening. One (way) is by changing the culture of our criminal justice system. And that's what criminal justice reform is about. It's about changing the philosophy of criminal justice from strictly a punitive one — arresting and incarcerating offenders — to one that actually embraces all the goals of the criminal justice system. ... So as we change that culture, I think you end up with safer communities, less over-policing of certain neighborhoods. You rebuild trust between police and the community."

"You can't directly prevent those things, but you can indirectly influence the likelihood of them happening. One (way) is by changing the culture of our criminal justice system. And that's what criminal justice reform is about. It's about changing the philosophy of criminal justice from strictly a punitive one — arresting and incarcerating offenders — to one that actually embraces all the goals of the criminal justice system. ... So as we change that culture, I think you end up with safer communities, less over-policing of certain neighborhoods. You rebuild trust between police and the community."

What is your position on the use of civil citations for juveniles who possess misdemeanor amounts of marijuana?

"Prosecuting people for misdemeanor amounts of marijuana is a waste of resources and it's also counterproductive in the long run." He supports the use of civil citations for minor marijuana offenses.

"Prosecuting people for misdemeanor amounts of marijuana is a waste of resources and it's also counterproductive in the long run." He supports the use of civil citations for minor marijuana offenses.

Assets/liabilities/ income:

Assets: two homes, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, stock, retirement accounts, family-run limited partnership, family holdings and business interests. Liabilities: two mortgages, student loan, car loan Net worth: $4,971,563

Assets: two homes, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, stock, retirement accounts, family-run limited partnership, family holdings and business interests. Liabilities: two mortgages, student loan, car loan Net worth: $4,971,563

Personal:

Home: Tampa Married to Alexandra Warren, two daughters

Home: Tampa Married to Alexandra Warren, two daughters

Campaign fundraising:

Contributions: $279,387 Expenditures: $113,755

Contributions: $279,387 Expenditures: $113,755

On the web:

Website: voteandrewwarren.com Twitter: @AndrewWarrenFL

Website: voteandrewwarren.com Twitter: @AndrewWarrenFL