District Attorney 04th Judicial District
The District Attorney represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. New Mexico has 13 judicial districts for which there is an elected District Attorney. DAs typically handle the following tasks: conduct grand jury investigations, review police reports and the criminal charges, handle preliminary hearings and all other courtroom-contested matters, offer plea bargains, conduct bench or jury trials, and litigate appeals. Four-year term.
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Thomas Anthony Clayton
(Dem)
1. What experience and education qualifies you to be District Attorney?
2. What are your highest priorities for this office?
3. How do you intend to accomplish them?
4. What, if any, alternatives to incarceration do you support for nonviolent crimes?
I bring 32+ years legal experience to the position including 20 years as a prosecutor. I have conducted approximately 70 jury trials including homicide, rape, child abuse, drug trafficking, etc. These trials have been in all three counties --- Guadalupe, Mora and San Miguel.
As the current District Attorney I have continued to work in the courtroom as a prosecutor.
I served as chairman of the NM Crime Victims Reparation Commission providing assistance to victims. Worked as a private attorney in civil practice and criminal defense. Also served in administrator positions --- City of Las Vegas (City Manager) and the NM Parole Board (Executive Director).
Graduate of UCLA School of Law (1991) and NM Highlands University (1985).
Community safety first and foremost.
Narcotics and substance abuse are an on-going problem in the district. Many of the cases we prosecute --- from property offenses, domestic violence, and homicide --- a common factor in these cases is substance abuse. We need to provide treatment and programs. With that in mind, our office is working with the San Miguel County Sheriff Office and the County of San Miguel in pursuit of an in-patient treatment facility.
Continue to work with our justice partners --- courts, law enforcement, treatment providers and community.
We currently have diversion programs within the District Attorney Office. The intent is to divert first time offenders and provide an alternative to the criminal justice process. In addition we work closely with our current treatment courts --- drug court, sobriety court and the new mental health initiative.
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