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Two candidates vying to be next district attorney in East Baton Rouge Parish
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BATON ROUGE - For the first time since 2008, East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillary Moore is facing a challenger at the polls: attorney Ryan Thompson.
District Attorney Hillar Moore, an 18-year incumbent, hopes voters return him to another six-year term.
Former assistant public defender and section lead, Thompson says he's running to fix what he calls a broken approach to justice and bring more effective prosecution against violent crime.
"There have been over 1,800 homicides in this parish over the last 18 years. Beginning in 2009, there were 95 homicides; 2021, there were 870 homicides. I am running because the elders in our parish are just not safe,” Thompson said. “We've seen recently, with the 92-year-old man that was killed by his son, but it didn't start there.”
Moore says he still has goals to accomplish as DA: among his priorities are ensuring the office remains fully funded and taking different approaches to curb crime.
"Working on a community level with churches, particularly churches that are in the areas of the hotspots, and having the churches that have capacity to reach out to the masses on the ground, with the assistance of law enforcement at the top," Moore said.
For years, the district attorney's office has faced funding challenges; the city-parish made significant budget cuts in January.
If elected, Thompson says he will work to find federal, state, and local resources to close the financial gap.
"I believe that everyone should pay their fair share. I believe that Baker, Zachary, St. George, all of those municipalities, should pay their fair share if they're using the resources of the district attorney's office to keep them safe," Thompson said.
Moore filed a lawsuit in April to restore funding to his office. If he wins in court, Moore says the DA's office will be fully funded, and he can expand the office with additional ADAs.
"You're going to see a phenomenal office, be able to take care of the needs of victims much more than ever before, be able to specialize, be more prepared for cases quicker," Moore said.
If voters re-elect him, Moore plans to implement specialized prosecutorial units, something he says he's unable to do now because of budget cuts.
"Specialize in domestic violence, gangs, financial crimes, sex crimes, you name it, but have those specialized units, have those people trained in those particular fields, and handle those cases in a different fashion than we can right now."
Thompson wants the DA's office to work directly with law enforcement from the start.
"We're going to have better investigations, we plan on working hand in hand with law enforcement from the time they enter into the police academy, once they come into the police academy. Once they come to the police academy, we're going to be working with the training to make sure that they understand how to do effective constitutional investigations," Thompson said.
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