Assistant District Attorney Matthew Margeson of the 22nd Judicial District has announced his candidacy for the District Attorney position in the Nov. 2020 election.
Margeson, a Republican, has been a prosecutor with the office that serves Montezuma and Dolores counties since 2014. In 2017, he was promoted to assistant DA under District Attorney Will Furse, who is serving out two four-year terms and is term-limited.
Margeson, 37, announced his candidacy during the Montezuma County Republican’s monthly meeting at Shiloh’s steakhouse on Oct. 3.
He has a law degree from University of Denver, and a bachelor’s in computer engineering from University of Michigan. He was in private practice for seven years in the Denver area.
“I believe I’m qualified for the job. My primary goal is to make sure criminal cases are prosecuted appropriately,” Margeson said. “I also want to maintain a professional office with the people I work with, so we can continue to do good work for the community.”
He touts his experience handling a variety of cases his relationship will local law enforcement, court staff and criminal justice professionals.
“I know them and have gained their trust to appropriately handle the cases brought to us. I feel that puts me in a good position for the job,” Margeson said.
Balancing appropriate punishment and rehabilitative services is a key responsibility for the DA office, he said.
“Our job is to first consider community safety and the victim, and also to prevent an offender from re-entering the criminal justice system.”
Incarceration is required to remove a threat from the community. Rehabilitation is necessary to give offenders a chance to rebuild.
“We don’t want to see the same faces month after month. If we don’t rehabilitate, we will see them again,” Margeson said. “We accomplish these goals by having great deputies working in the trenches day after day.”
There are a lot of moving parts in the criminal justice system, with a lot of unsung heroes working behind the scenes, he said.
Margeson wants to continue the grand jury system that Furse set up in the district. A grand jury is called upon to review difficult cases to help determine whether there is probable cause that a defendant has committed crimes.
“They provide a jury’s perspective initially on an important case and help determine whether it should move forward,” he said.
He also wants to improve community outreach to communicate the role of the DA’s office and bring stakeholders together to address problems such as domestic violence, drug abuse and mental illness.
“As a community, we can address these issues before they become serious problems and make a difference,” he said. “Together we can come up with creative solutions.”
To improve access to mental health services, the Bridge Program is a new state initiative that places a mental health coordinator at courts, including at Montezuma County Combined Courts. The new position helps guide those in need of services to the appropriate agencies and programs.
“I’m glad to see the state is trying to address the issue,” he said.
Margeson applauded the hard work and dedication of the DA staff and of Furse, who handles a docket of cases in court while managing the department. If elected, Margeson will follow suit.
“I love being in court – the variety of cases, each with a different set of facts. It’s never boring,” he said.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com