Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Poll: Should Rich Chiapete Resign As Racine County DA?

I'm bumping up this blog because the poll continues to be popular.

Originally published on Monday, April 7, 2014 at 3:56 PM:


Also, Racine Exposed has a story up on the Chiapete arrest: http://racineexposed.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/racine-county-da-rich-chiapete-arrested-for-hit-and-run-and-owi/

Also see: http://racineexposed.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/county-of-racine-da-republican-rich-chiapetes-big-nite-out/ 

16 comments:

Clint Teeters said...

"State patrol reviewing DA’s OWI" - http://journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/state-patrol-reviewing-da-s-owi/article_ccbe2b80-be93-11e3-8148-0019bb2963f4.html:

"'I understand why people would want me to (resign),' he said Monday, but added, 'I want to prove to people they can believe in me again… I’ll do everything I can to win people’s trust back.

“'I love this job. I love the community. I am not running from what I did. I’m not running from this job,' Chiapete said. 'I did something inexcusable. I deserve the heat.'”

Toad said...

Everybody deserves a break, but when you are the main prosecuting Attorney for a City, your behavior Is crazy important. Should the District Attorney have to prosecute a person for the crime of Intoxicated use of a Motor vehicle resulting In death, what would he do? He would probably have to pass It on to an assistant, and that Is a big problem. He made a very bad decision, and needs to rid himself of the problem.

legal stranger said...

In our dog eat dog world, the legal community is no different.

I was informed that Art Howell (Racine Police Chief) attempted to arrange a meeting with all of the police chiefs in Racine county to discuss the "crisis". Most chiefs refused to attend, citing Howell's desire to fuel the fire, the meeting was a bust.

We saw the same backstabbing scene play out when Schmaling's goons arrested Tim Zarzecki for a civil disturbance at his house.

As I stated before about Mr. Chiapete, this is a snapshot,albeit a bad one of an otherwise squeaky clean record.
Give him a chance to make amends.
Rich is one of the few people in government who I know makes tough decisions fairly...........

With all this legal bickering.....
RODNEY KING'S quote comes to mind:

Can't we all just get along?

Anonymous said...

He needs to resign due to the hit and run. The dui was bad enough.

Toad said...

Legal, I understand your reasoning regarding Mr. Chiapete, but It truly Is the "Hit and Run" part of the charge that Is disturbing. Has It been stated yet what his BAC registered?

Anonymous said...

Disturbing? LOL. It would appear that Rich has no respect for the law and I still believe that he is HIDING SOMETHING more.

From The JT:

City attorney: DA refused blood draw

RACINE – Racine County District Attorney Rich Chiapete will likely end up having an ignition interlock device installed in his vehicle after he refused to have an official blood draw following his drunken driving crash, according to the city attorney’s office.

After police made contact with Chiapete, they administered a preliminary breath test at 12:02 a.m. which indicated he had a .159 blood alcohol content, nearly two times the legal limit, according to Deputy City Attorney Scott Letteney.

But the device used for the preliminary breath test is not a sensitive scientific instrument and is not admissible in court for determining a level of intoxication, Letteney said.

When police brought him to the police station for an official breath test, he said he would rather have a blood test, Letteney said. They then brought him to Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints hospital, 3801 Spring St., but there he refused the blood test too, Letteney said.

In Wisconsin there is an implied consent law meaning if you are driving a motor vehicle you are presumed to consent to an official blood or breath test, Letteney said.


What is he hiding?

Anonymous said...

Resign?

NO. Because only Honorable men are allowed that privilege.

He should be FIRED and his license to practice law pulled.

legal stranger said...

Toad, The entire incident is disturbing. I despise OWI. If I knew a better person for the job I would not be supporting Rich to remain in office. Facts are Rich has a good record of being a responsible civil servant. I further believe he is also a good servant / leader.
This incident is an aberration in Rich's career. If he doesn't make amends, if he fails, then the public gets to vote him out of office.


Anonymous said...

I guess it's all relative.

What's up with young people in college at UW Madison?

UW-Madison police report worst alcohol incidents this year

I suppose Rich Chiapete is a proud Alumni not wanting to break the tradition of being a Lush from UW Madison?

A Bunch of Wisconsin Drunks!

In what University of Wisconsin-Madison police are calling the worst alcohol-related issues experienced on campus this year, 10 people were taken to alcohol detoxification treatment from Friday through early Sunday morning during partying connected to the Badgers men's basketball appearance in the NCAA Final Four.

Seven of those treated were students, two before the game against the University of Kentucky even began, UW-Madison police spokesman Marc Lovicott said.

"This was a pretty extraordinary weekend alcohol-wise, Lovicott said, noting that during football season police typically take about a half-dozen people to detox.

Throughout the basketball season, police might take several people for treatment.

"I can't remember this many during one weekend," he said.

The incidents included a 21-year-old student whose blood-alcohol level was 0.37 — about 41/2 times the level considered proof of intoxication for drivers in Wisconsin.


Rich Chiapete didn't want to feel left out!

The student "was found unconscious in a restroom at Gordon Commons," according to a news release from UW-Madison police.

"It took officers over a minute to try and wake him up — even then, he was unaware of his location, the date, time, etc.

"When asked what day it was, he responded, 'A.M.'"


Fortunately Rich didn't kill anybody this time, but there's always next time. It's coming.

OrbsCorbs said...

legal stranger said...
"Toad, The entire incident is disturbing. I despise OWI. If I knew a better person for the job I would not be supporting Rich to remain in office."

A friend said to me last night, if Chiapete resigns or is fired, we might get a worse DA. Who would Walker appoint to finish Chiapete's term?

Clint Teeters said...

The JT.com removed my comments from their OWI article.

Seems just like good old times . . .

Anonymous said...

Your comments will also be removed from JT if you mention anything about the backroom deals with Mayor Dickert to sell Indian burial mounds to the Meredith family or how the Meredith family worked with Mayor Dickert and others like Cathy Anderson at Coldwell Banker to discriminate against a minority owned funeral home so they could not buy a building or conduct business downtown, only to allow the Merediths to buy the building instead. They used parking as an argument against the minority business but parking was no issue for the Merediths or for Porters.

Racine is a horribly racist and corrupt city.

concretekatie said...

we can't get along because too many of us belong to an indulgent alcohol and toxic culture of excess. Even a DA can't handle it because human nature is what it is. Free Will. Destiny. Fate. Mr. Chiapete sits on the banks and is now watching the river flow and getting a hard lesson about life.

Toad said...

Orb's, Very good point. That would work, If the DA recused himself from ALL cases involving alcohol, as part of a deal to stay In office, at least until the next election. The DA'S office Is In the middle of some really major cases, and the problem could magnify itself with a change.

Anonymous said...

I think that the DRC, in cooperation with The City and County of Racine should establish a charity run to raise money for alcohol awareness, appropriately named Rich's Run

It would start at Monument Square in Downtown Racine, wind up through Chatham ST, and then back to Downtown Racine and Monument Square ending in front of the Root River Council, Inc.

OrbsCorbs said...

Alcohol would have to be served or somehow involved.