Alonzo Payne is campaigning to be the district attorney for Colorado’s 12th judicial district. Payne is an attorney and has been licensed to practice in Colorado since 2006. He studied at Adams State College and completed Law School at the University of Denver. Payne says that he has extensive work experience that has made him familiar with all areas of Colorado law. Payne has also worked for Ken and John Salazar, Valley Wide Health Systems, and served on numerous nonprofits that serve the San Luis Valley. “I have more experience as a lawyer and more compassion than the appointed bureaucrat who simply wants to brag to his front range friends about all the poor people he has incarcerated in the SLV,” said Payne in a recent interview with Valley Publishing.
Payne is a lifelong sixth generation native of the San Luis Valley. The only time he has not lived here was when he was in Law School. Payne says that the San Luis Valley is his home forever.
When asked what made him run for the DA office for the 12th District Payne answered by saying, “I want to be the elected district attorney for the San Luis Valley by the people of the San Luis Valley. Not an appointed bureaucrat that is tasked to look over us. Having witnessed the incompetency of appointed front range bureaucrats, I feel it is my obligation to serve my community and implement true criminal justice reform. It is time that we all step up and serve our community and I truly believe the best way I can do this is to bring SLV values to the office of the district attorney.”
Payne was asked what changes he would like to bring to the office of DA. “I want to stop incarcerating people who have not been convicted of crimes and are only in our county jails because they are poor. I want to stop supporting private prisons and send convicted criminals to the State Department of Corrections. It is appalling that the SLV has the highest incarceration rates in the State. We should be a model of criminal justice reform and cease the criminalization of poverty,” stated Payne.
When asked what challenges he foresaw in implementing these changes Payne answered saying, “I see vested corporate interests that have financial interest in incarceration being the biggest challenge. We cannot treat people as revenue sources when they are serving time for crimes. I will empty the jails of people who have not been convicted and send true criminals to the Department of Corrections, and not some posh private prison for corporations to make money.”
Payne was also asked what sort of relationship he hopes to have with the media. “The media is critical in the implementation of a fair and just criminal justice system. There is a reason the freedom of the press is listed in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, it is because without a free press we do not have a free society. The press will be welcome in the office of the District Attorney and all information that can be shared with the press will be. I hope to have weekly updates with the press to update any activity taken by the 12th Judicial District Attorney,” said Payne.
When Payne was asked what relationship he hopes to have with local police and sheriff departments he answered saying, “I have a positive relationship with local law enforcement and hope to provide them with a measured approach to incarceration. From my perspective we should as District Attorney be advocating for local first responders to be paid more, and not for front range appointed lawyer bureaucrats to be paid more. Pay local law enforcement more, not the lawyers. As your DA I will reduce the financial impact of over incarceration and refund the counties the extravagant budget to pay carpet bagger lawyers. Let us pay law enforcement more not attorneys.”
Payne was also asked how he will implement recent legislation such as the Red Flag Bill, and the eliminations of the death penalty. “As your elected District Attorney I will insure appropriate application of all Colorado Law. As a victim of gun violence which led to the death of both my parents, I understand intimately how inaction by those in positions of power can impact lives. I respect the rights of individuals to practice their constitutional rights and will implement a team of seasoned San Luis Valley attornies to assist me in making decisions regarding any Red Flag issue. Any decision on the application of the Red Flag laws will be vetted by local attorneys who understand our Valley, and not some front range carpetbagger that thinks what is appropriate in Boulder, is what is right in the SLV,” stated Payne adding, “As to the elimination of the death penalty it’s about damn time. We must act as a civilized society and not have incarceration rates and penalties that mirror Russia and Iran. The death penalty was barbaric and its time has come to an end.”