Gung-ho prosecutor must weigh price of show

The Washington Times ^ | 5-13-05 | Adrienne Washington

[JZelle]

"Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord," or a zealous prosecutor. Montgomery County State's Attorney Douglas F. Gansler, with his youthful looks and affable ways, makes no secret of being a passionate prosecutor. Hey, who wouldn't want an "eager beaver" in their jurisdiction with a zest for convicting the bad guys? But, is the gung-ho Gansler becoming overzealous, as he seeks to prosecute the convicted Washington-area snipers, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo? Mr. Gansler fervently states absolutely not; he's only doing his sworn duty. After all, six of the 10 sniper victims were killed in Montgomery County, which was "the epicenter of the crimes and the investigation." And, "These guys have got to be held accountable," the fast-talking Mr. Gansler said yesterday. "Can you imagine what would be said if we didn't [prosecute]?" Insisting that he didn't lobby for the case, Mr. Gansler made the decision to prosecute the snipers after receiving word that Virginia Gov. Mark Warner would release them to Maryland, and only after he consulted with the victims' families.