Wayne County prosecutor: Budget doesn't allow for jobs to get done
Dozens of people in the Detroit area who have been issued traffic tickets and ordered to appear in court on misdemeanor charges are having their cases dismissed because not enough prosecutors are available to staff courtrooms.
BUT WHEN CAN WE ACTUALLY EXPECT SOME REAL SPRING LOOIRK WEATHER. ARE THEY SACRIFICING SAFETY. KYM WORTHY CLAIMS IF THE COUNTY BUDGET CUTS GO MUCH DEEPER SHE DOESN'T KNOW IF HER OFFICE CAN DO ITS IMPORTANT JOB. GOOD AFTERNOON. WE BEGIN WITH THE LATEST ROUND IN A FIGHT OVER BUDGET CUTS BETWEEN WAYNE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ROBERT FICANO AND PROSECUTOR KYM WORTHY. THEY HAVE BEEN LOCKED IN THIS VERY PUBLIC FEUD. AND THE CONCERN IS THAT THE PUBLIC WILL END UP PAYING THE HIGHEST PRICE. WORTHY SPOKE OUT AGAIN JUST A SHORT TIME AGO AND LOCAL 4'S SHAWN LEY IS THERE LIVE. SHAWN? Reporter: GUY, GOOD AFTERNOON. HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW HERE ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE COURT COMING UP ANYWHERE IN WAYNE COUNTY THE RIGHT NOW THERE ARE THREE LOCAL COURTROOMS IN THE COUNTY NOT BEING COVERED NO ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS SHOWING UP. I ASK KYM WORTHY ABOUT THAT. SHE SAID SHE SIMPLY DOES NOT HAVE THE PEOPLE. LET ME TAKE YOU INSIDE 36 DISTRICT COURT. THIS IS MISDEMEANOR COURT THIS MORNING AND YOU CAN SEE EMPTY SHARES NO PROSECUTORS IN IT THIS MORNING. NOW I WANT TO TAKE YOU TO PROSECUTOR WORTHY'S EXPLANATION OF THIS. SHE SAYS COUNTY EXECUTIVE ROBERT FICANO WENT BACK ON A BUDGET DEAL AND CUT HER BUDGET BY $9 MILLION. SHE'S SUING TO GET MUTUAL FUND THATTING BACK AND SHE SAYS PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FOR GOVERNMENT TO FUND. SHE'S NOT BUDGING ON. THAT SHE SAYS SHE'S STILL BEEN FORCED TO LAY OFF 26 EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING 22 ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS AND SHE SAYS, SHE HAS MADE CUTS IN THE PAST RESULTING IN 52 TOTAL ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS NOT CURRENTLY BEING WITH THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. KYM WORTHY SAYS THIS IS ALL NOT PERSONAL, NOT A FEUD WITH ROBERT FICANOMENT BUT IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR SCREEN WORTHY HAD A VIDEO BOARD PRESENTATION SHOWING EVERY NEGATIVE ROBERT FICANO HEADLINE FROM THIS PAST YEAR YOU ASK HER WHAT TO FIND NO PROSECUTOR IN THEIR COURTROOM. I DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE, I HAVE TO COVER THE VIOLENT CRIME FIRST, I HAVE TO COVER THE CASES THAT ARE ALREADY IN TRIAL, I HAVE TO COVER THE PRETRIAL WORK OF THE CASES I HAVE TO COVER THE CASES THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM FIRST. Reporter: ALL RIGHT, LET'S UPDATE YOU NOW ON WHICH COURTS IN THE COUNTY ARE NOT BEING COVERED. MISDEMEANOR COURT, TRAFFIC COURT, BOTH AT 36 DISTRICT, AND IN THE THIRD DISTRICT PERSONAL PROTECTION ORDERS NOT BEING ISSUED. PROSECUTEOR WORTHY ALSO SAYING THE LIST OF WARRANTS NOT BEING WORK ODOR SIGNED OR BEING PASSED TO HANDED OVER FOR OR GROWING. THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE HERE WHERE THIS SITUATION WILL GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER. GUY. SHAWN, KYM WORTHY IS NOT ALONE WITH THIS. THE THE COUNTY HAS SHUT 25% OF ITS JOB AND STILL HAS AN ACCUMULATED DEFICIT OF $181 MILLION. WHAT DOES SHE HOPE TO GAIN BY THIS WHEN EVERYONE IS HAVING TO TRIM BACK? Reporter: THAT'S THE KEY QUESTION HERE. SHE SAYS SHE HOPES TO GAIN THE JOBS BACK AND THE MONEY BACK. NOW THERE ARE PLENTY OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS SAYING KYM WORTHY IS NOT LIVING WITHIN HER MEANS AND THAT MONEY IS NOT COMING BACK. THE OTHER POINT KYM WORTHY WANTED TO MAKE IS THAT SHE SAYS SHE IS RUNNING A TIGHT SHIP AND ROBERT FICANO IS NOT. THAT'S A BIG POINT SHE WANTED TO MAKE TODAY. AS I SAY IT WILL GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER HERE TO FIND A SOLUTION. THESE THREATS SOUND AN AWFUL LOT LIKE THE SEQUESTRATION FIGHT IN WASHINGTON RIGHT NOW. IT SOUNDS LIKE SHE'S TAKING A PLAY OUT OF THAT PLAYBOOK. Reporter: YOU GO INTO A COURTROOM AND CASES ARE BEING DISMISSED TODAY AS WE SPEAK BECAUSE THERE'S NO PROSECUTOR SHOWING UP TO
