00;00;00;03 - 00;00;12;04
Eric Hoffman
If we lose one more deputy prosecuting attorney, that's going to be a four alarm emergency in Delaware County. We won't have the staff to try murder cases. We won't have the staff to investigate them.

00;00;12;09 - 00;00;31;07
Stephanie Wiechmann
Eric Hoffman says an increase in murders and drug overdose deaths, and a lack of salary increases to keep qualified lawyers, has severely hindered the county's abilities in court. He cites a state report that says Delaware County has less than half the prosecutors needed to properly do its job. Hoffman tells the county council it has a duty by law to fund the office at an appropriate level.

00;00;31;08 - 00;00;33;10
Stephanie Wiechmann
And he's not asking for more than he needs.

00;00;33;16 - 00;00;37;29
Eric Hoffman
I don't like to tout that around and wave it like a flag, like I'll take you to court and sue you, but I will.

00;00;38;03 - 00;00;58;04
Stephanie Wiechmann
Hoffman says the funding request he'll bring to the council in March will go to litigation expenses like witness fees, videos and transcripts of interviews and cases, and hired experts for overdose cases and psychiatric defenses. He's also asking to increase the salaries for deputy prosecutors. After not being able to fill an open slot in a local court with a qualified candidate at the current salary.

00;00;58;06 - 00;01;13;02
Eric Hoffman
I looked at the, all the other counties that were hiring deputy prosecutors in the state, and we were well below by ten or more thousand, from every other county. We're talking small counties, counties with like 40,000 people. Counties that don't have murders

00;01;13;04 - 00;01;15;28
Stephanie Wiechmann
In Muncie. Stephanie Wiechmann, IPR news.