Homicide Prosecutor Secures RivCo Judicial Seat

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA --- A veteran Riverside County prosecutor was declared the victor today over two longtime defense attorneys in the race for an open judicial seat.

Deputy District Attorney Burke Strunsky defeated attorneys David Duke and Shaffer Cormell in the Tuesday race to replace retiring Superior Court Judge Sara Christian at the Blythe Courthouse.

Although the seat is based in Blythe, it may not stay there, given that a county presiding judge can rearrange judicial assignments in accordance with need.

"I'm OK with going wherever I can to best serve the interests of constituents," Strunsky, a 16-year prosecutor, told City News Service. "No matter the area of law, whether it's a new issue in criminal justice or a certain type of case, I'm always prepared."

• Previous: Homicide Prosecutor, Defense Attorneys Seek Judicial Seat In Riverside County

The father of one, who has resided in Temecula since relocating from San Francisco nearly a decade ago, Strunsky largely has dealt with homicide cases, including several involving children. Last year, he was rotated into a supervisory position, vetting felony criminal filings in the central part of the county.

"It's a natural extension of my work within the courtroom to become a judge," Strunsky said. "Courtrooms are dynamic, amazing places. Some people may want to catch a movie or watch their favorite television show. I'd rather be observing a court proceeding. I love it."

Assembly Bill 109, the Public Safety Realignment Act of 2011, and voter- approved Proposition 47 have created serious burdens for law enforcement and the judicial system that all three candidates recognized. AB 109 shifted responsibility for managing "non-serious, non-violent" felons from the state to counties, ratcheting up the strain on local jail space. Prop 47 reduced numerous drug and property crimes to misdemeanors.

The combined effect has contributed to double-digit increases in crime in some parts of Riverside County, according to public safety officials.

"There's been a rapid increase in violent crime over the last 18 months," Strunsky said. "This is not a time to elect a judge who doesn't understand criminal law. I understand every nuance of AB 109 and Prop 47. They're very complex. People who lack understanding of the specifics are likely to make a mistake -- and those mistakes could very well affect public safety."

All three candidates voiced support for the Second Amendment and gun ownership rights, which surfaced as a campaign issue after the California Rifle & Pistol Association issued a negative rating of Strunsky, who authored San Francisco's Proposition H. The voter-approved measure sought an outright ban on handgun ownership but was defeated in a 2006 National Rifle Association lawsuit.

In his 2012 book "The Humanity of Justice," Strunsky wrote that "handguns are rarely successfully used for self-defense," contrary to some published statistics. In 2013, the prosecutor also supported Sen. Dianne Feinstein's proposal for a sweeping nationwide ban on many sporting rifles she classified as "assault weapons." The idea gained no traction in Congress.

"I was wrong," Strunsky told CNS. "Everybody evolves and changes their opinions. The police can't always be there to protect us. I own a handgun, and my wife owns a handgun. In the last six months, I've gone shooting and used an AR-15."

• Also see: REAL-TIME RESULTS: Riverside County's 2016 Primary Election Races

--City News Service/Image courtesy of Burke E. Strunsky for Judge 2016 on Facebook