Issues

With 10+ years of prosecutorial experience, Jennie Haymond has the most experience in this race prosecuting theft, drug, DUI, juvenile, assault and other violent conduct cases.

She is part of a tight-knit military family and vows to serve Madison County by protecting the health, safety and quality of life of all Madison County residents.

If elected, Jennie will take the best practices from her work to foster an atmosphere at the Madison County Attorney’s Office that prioritizes justice and that is fair, responsive and respectful to all who enter.

Crime & the County Attorney’s Role

I have the most prosecutorial experience in this race. I believe this experience is important to mention, considering that the County Attorney is the head prosecutor for our county and that office is typically the first contact people have with the judicial system. I want to help the families of Madison County feel safe in their homes and out in their community. This is a huge part of what the County Attorney does, and we need people in office who have the experience to see this mission through.

We are at a critical turning point in facing the opioid epidemic. We cannot continue treating the problem the same way we did twenty years ago. We need to come up with more creative alternatives to help those who need and seek treatment. We also have to implement harsher penalties for those who do nothing but deal the drugs harming others. People need to be held accountable for their actions and that begins in the County Attorney’s office.

The Madison County Attorney’s Office has to take care of victims. This is not a political issue – it is simply about doing what is right for the innocent people who rely on justice to be served.

Children

I believe that it is important to take preventive steps in our community that help keep people out of the criminal justice system. In our day and time, that means reaching out to our children. They are exposed to so much more than we ever imagined at their age. They need to be able to rely on us to guide them down the right path, even when dealing with difficult family environments. This is something that can be done not only through the school system but also through our community involvement. It has always been important to me to work with our youth and to be a good role model. This is not limited to them seeing me in court but also through Kiwanis Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass and coaching track and mock trial. It is vitally important that we protect the youth as they are our future.

Office Policies

There is a team of attorneys hard at work within the county attorney’s office and they prosecute everything from traffic matters to felonies. I have past experience as a prosecutor with the Madison County Attorney’s office, so I’ve witnessed firsthand the office policies that I would take on, if elected. I am well-versed in the issues and concerns that this office deals with and I would like to see more innovative responses that directly improve the way our office handles their responsibilities to the community. An important key to an effective criminal justice system is good communication with the public and transparency. There is more current leadership could be doing to foster trust between the office and the organizations they work with.

I believe it is vitally important for the County Attorney to have a solid working relationship with the Judges and other court personnel – as well as with all local law enforcement. A majority of cases that the Madison County Attorney’s Office will prosecute begin with law enforcement bringing charges. Over the past 10+ years, I have developed a relationship with our local law enforcement by making myself available to answer questions they may have. I will continue to maintain that availability.

Additionally, my 13 years’ experience practicing civil law has provided me with the foundation needed to better represent Madison County and fiscal court. I have the experience outside of the prosecutorial field to provide guidance to the county and to do what’s best for our entire community.