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RamIn Fatehi, Commonwealth Attorney for the city of Norfolk in Virginia, shares his unique journey from a privileged upbringing as the son of Iranian-American parents to becoming a prosecutor dedicated to reforming a flawed system. His contrarian nature and experiences with prejudice from both sides led him to pursue a career where he could address the inequality he witnessed firsthand.
• Son of a neurosurgeon and nurse who emphasized service as a family value
• Left a high-paying civil law career to become a public defender because he felt he was "increasing human misery"
• Witnessed firsthand how wealth and connections create two different justice systems
• Openly acknowledges historical issues including slave patrol origins of policing and prosecutor misconduct
• Uses data rather than fear to drive prosecution decisions
• Reduced Norfolk homicides from 63 to 37 and cut jail population by nearly half
• Views successful criminal justice reform as addressing root causes through education, jobs, and neighborhood investment
• Concerns about potential crime increases if social investment decreases and mass incarceration returns
Vote in the primary election on June 17th, with early voting beginning on May 2nd. The work of progressive prosecution is too important to go backwards to the old ways.
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