Why run for District Attorney?
This is a decision I have not taken lightly. I have always enjoyed being a prosecutor and
disdained the idea of being a politician. I would not enter this race unless I thought I was
the most capable candidate for the position based on my experience, character and
conviction and believed the residents of Plumas County deserve more than the current
District Attorney can provide.
Specifically, I am exceptionally qualified for this position. During my 17+ year career
(first in Alameda County and then here, in Plumas County) I have gathered important
experience while demonstrating the character and conviction necessary for the job. I
have tried the most difficult and serious of cases; successfully prosecuting (at jury trial)
murderers, serial rapists, child molesters, etc. while showing a willingness and desire to
work hard and effectively on the smaller, day to day challenges confronted by a
prosecutor.
Second, and from a personal perspective, my family and I are proud to call Plumas
County home. Whether it be fly fishing on the Middle Fork of the Feather River, sharing
a favorite book during reading night at an elementary school, spending a weekend night
working a case with our Detectives or coaching youth basketball, Plumas County has
become a large part of my life, and that of my family, which I look forward to working for
and protecting.
Finally, the direction of the current District Attorney is incompatible with my beliefs of
how a DA’s Office should be led. To continue the status quo indefinitely would mean I
condone and embrace that with which I vehemently disagree. As your District Attorney, I
will work hard on a daily basis, accepting the difficult challenges with skill, honor, and
humility while never forgetting “public service” means I serve the public and not that the
public serves me.
What experience have you gained which qualifies
you to be DA?
At the outset, I am somewhat uncomfortable talking about myself and my
accomplishments. I have always believed in letting my performance and results speak
for themselves. However, the last six+ years have demonstrated voters have a right to
know and verify the qualifications of a candidate. In this spirit, I offer the following: I have
served as a prosecutor for over 17 years. I have prosecuted thousands of cases.
Among those cases are over 50 trials including 20 felonies to jury verdict. These felony
jury trials lasted over 355 trial days resulting in an 85% felony jury trial conviction rate.
Of my felony jury trials, 16 have been serious or violent felonies and have included the
most heinous of crimes and difficult of cases.
In contrast, during his career, the current District Attorney has prosecuted 9 felony
cases to jury verdict with a 56% felony jury trial conviction rate (5 convictions, 3
mistrials, 1 conviction reversed on appeal). These jury trials lasted a total of 42 trial
days. Of his 9 felony jury trials, one has resulted in a conviction for a serious or violent
felony. My record and experience far surpass that of the current DA, in both quantity
and quality, and they speak for themselves. I have what it takes to follow through and
will put in the work to ensure justice is served no matter how difficult the case.
In addition to my success at trial, I have demonstrated a willingness and ability to
succeed with the daily challenges faced by a prosecutor. Since I began as the Felony
Deputy DA in Plumas County in 2003, I have been the principle person responsible for
charging “in-custody” defendants and prosecuting felony offenses. During my tenure,
the felony conviction rate has risen 31%. If I am elected, the DA’s office will focus on
what has been consigned to us, prosecuting crime, and we will do so in an ethical and
fiscally responsible manner.
What I hope I have demonstrated throughout my career is experience, character and
conviction do matter. The current DA has shown a lack of responsibility and leadership
during his tenure. The limited number of criminal cases he has handled has often been
met with poor results. What I have demonstrated, and what the public can continue to
expect, is that I will work hard with skill and humility to bring Plumas County fair and just
results every day.
What cases have defined you as a prosecutor?
I am very grateful for the opportunity and experience I have received throughout my
career. Here in Plumas County, and especially in Oakland, I have been fortunate to
have supervisors express confidence in me so as to entrust me with the most serious
and difficult cases. Each and every trial I have prosecuted has taught me a valuable
lesson. The experience earned from these cases has improved my prosecutorial skill set
in everything from charging cases to managing a criminal calendar to being able to try
the most serious and difficult cases to a jury.
During my career, both here and in Alameda County, I have had the opportunity to try
before a jury, and convict, criminals accused of murder, serial rape, child molestation,
robbery, escape, attempted murder of a police officer, drug dealing and the like.
Perhaps the most memorable case involved Herbert Moore, a miscreant who kidnapped
a 7 year old girl, forced her to an abandoned Oakland school yard and sexually
terrorized her. I cannot overstate the courage that young victim demonstrated during the
jury trial. Her heroism allowed me to obtain a successful verdict and assure Mr. Moore
never harms another child again.
Outside of your work as a prosecutor, what
experience do you bring to the position?
Throughout my life I have accepted leadership positions and produced excellent results.
In college, at Southern Oregon State College, I played basketball on scholarship for 4
years (serving as captain my final 2 and setting the school record for games played in a
career) while working as a resident assistant in the dorms, serving in student
government and graduating cum laude. During my career at SOSC I was selected as an
NAIA Academic All American for my performance on the basketball court and in the
classroom.
In law school, at the University of Oregon, I was elected Student Bar Association
President and chosen to speak at graduation while thriving in criminal law and trial
advocacy classes.
Here, in Plumas County I have been active in our community. Each year I serve as the
“Grim Reaper” during the tremendously successful “Every 15 Minutes” programs at our
local high schools. The past two years I have been the keynote speaker during the
“Every 15 Minutes” assembly at both Portola and Greenville High Schools. The past
few years I have coached 3 youth basketball teams each season. My wife, Lara, and I
have been very active in the schools, doing our best to help all kids in the community
rather than just our own.
What changes will you make to the DA’s Office if
elected?
This is the crux of why I am running for DA. The greatest change will start with the
position of District Attorney. As District Attorney I will accept responsibility for the office
every day. During my 17+ year career, I have worked hard, accepted challenges and
built an outstanding reputation as a prosecutor. I am very humbled with the opportunity
to serve as a prosecutor. As DA I will set an example of conscientiousness,
determination and responsibility within the office.
Second, our office has three experienced and talented investigators who are
underutilized. Currently, any further investigation necessary for charging a case is sent
back to the investigating agency (Sheriff, CHP, etc.) causing their deputy/officer to stop
what they’re doing and address an old case. This current policy significantly hampers
the effectiveness of our local law enforcement and leaves the DA’s investigative division
without a clear and defined mission. As DA, our investigative division will accept and
handle this further investigation.
Third, I will reinstitute the review and prosecution of crime as the primary function of the
District Attorney’s Office. While we will continue to be involved in providing social and
other services for other entities in this county, our first, second and third priority will
return to the prosecution of crime. As an example, the current administration recently
spent approximately $40,000 in taxpayer money to fund a “Unified Family Court”
program and coordinator to make sure “that a single, highly trained and committed judge
hears a family’s multiple cases under a comprehensive jurisdiction” in our county which
has but 2 judges. The “Unified Family Court” experiment lasted six months and serviced
5 families. In a larger county possessing dozens of criminal courts, such a program
might make sense. In Plumas County, where there are only 2 judges to “coordinate”,
such a program is an expensive and unnecessary layer of bureaucracy we simply don’t
need and certainly can’t afford. Prior to, during, and since this pilot project, the Plumas
County District Attorney’s Office has lacked the technology to be able to reasonably
present audio and video evidence in the courtroom. Put simply, under my administration,
engaging in social service projects will have to take a backseat to being able to present
a killer’s confession in court during a murder trial.
Fourth, the District Attorney’s office will locate, prepare and implement an appropriate
case management system. Over the past few years both the Plumas County Superior
Court and Sheriff’s Office have demonstrated the foresight necessary to obtain and
implement such systems while the District Attorney’s Office slides backwards using
yesterday’s technology. Additionally, the failure to implement an appropriate case
management system has gradually led to a situation where the DA’s office struggles to
track cases. This untenable situation has led to cases which have “fallen through the
cracks” and need to be dismissed as the statute of limitations has expired. Under my
leadership, a case management system will be implemented to address this problem.
This new system, together with the reallocation of our investigative resources as
discussed above, will assure all cases are given prompt and appropriate attention and
justice is served for both the accused and the victim.
While I have identified some specific changes, these are but a start. During the coming
months I will outline the balance of the changes I intend to implement. The overriding
theme to my administration will be the exclusion of arrogance, apathy and convenience
and the return to an office serving the public in a responsible, professional and hard-
working manner.
What challenges will you face as District Attorney?
As we are all painfully aware, we are currently in one of the most difficult of economic
periods since the Great Depression. These trying times are impacting all levels of law
enforcement as well as criminal justice systems throughout the state. It is evident
resources will be reduced. In response, our District Attorney needs to have the
experience, character and conviction to lead our DA’s office through these troubled
times. As DA, I will provide the experience to understand and prioritize resources; have
the character to work hard, accept challenges, tackle the tough cases myself and do
more with less; and have the conviction to prosecute with perseverance, skill and
humility.
Internally, the DA’s office is in desperate need of a firm and positive demonstration of
leadership. As DA, I will provide this leadership; accompanying my words with the
actions required to follow through on my duties to victims and the public. Our office is
blessed with workers who desire to work hard and be a part of something important in
our community. As District Attorney, the example set will encourage a return to hard
work, responsibility and public service.
We’ve heard about Dave Hollister the prosecutor,
what about Dave Hollister the person?
First and foremost, I am a family man. I take incredible pride in my family and am grateful
for every success and failure we encounter. My wife, Lara, is unbelievable. She is a
former chemist for a biotech company in the Bay Area who recently went back to school
to earn her teaching credential. She is a tireless volunteer who will be a class mom,
team mom, school and community volunteer everyday of the year. I have never seen a
more compassionate advocate for children - whether they’re our kids or kids she’s never
met.
My son, Wyatt, is entering the 6th grade and is a great student (for which I thank his
mom). An avid reader who takes violin and fencing lessons, he also plays basketball
and is constantly testing how big of a dirt clod is necessary to break a window.
My daughter, Anna, is 9 and equally studious. Anna is an aspiring athlete and writer
who is rapidly turning our home into a petting zoo.
Aside from family, I am an avid fly fisherman and outdoorsman. Fly fishing has wavered
between passion and obsession the last 15 years and has allowed me to visit and enjoy
all Plumas County has to offer. In addition to my explorations in the pursuit of trout, I
have used fly fishing as an excuse to travel our endless backcountry roads and trails.
When not fishing, I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to coach youth sports,
especially basketball. Humility is easily learned coaching a girls' 3rd/4th grade
basketball team when, after designing the perfect game-ending play, you find the whole
of your team on the bench eating Cheetos and discussing whether their parents should
get them a cell phone.
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