Jessie Stensland reports from Island County District Court for the Whidbey News-Times.
A man responsible for sending Whidbey Island murderers, rapists and many other criminals to prison in the last 21 years will sport a new look in the courtroom.
Eric Ohme gave up his job as the top criminal deputy prosecutor in Island County to wear the robes as the new court commissioner in Island County District Court, which is also Oak Harbor Municipal Court.
As a court commissioner, Ohme will essentially be a judge who hears a wide variety of misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases, as well as civil cases, protection orders and small claims court.
They Said It
After so many years in a high-stress job with extensive responsibilities in cases that are often emotionally taxing, as Ohme explained, he was looking for a change of pace.
His boss, Prosecutor Greg Banks, said Ohme will be sorely missed in the office. “For 21 years, I’ve never seen Eric lose sight of our goals to protect the community and seek justice in every case,” Banks said. “In the crucible of this demanding job, Eric has, time and again, proven himself as a leader, a litigator, and a great and supportive friend. The people of Island County owe Eric a debt of gratitude for his tireless public service.”
Former Island County Superior Court Judge Alan Hancock, who is now on the bench in San Juan County, said he has a lot of respect for Ohme. “He is a solid, hardworking and even-tempered attorney with high ethical standards,” he said.
Ohme said he is sometimes worried when he sees former defendants in public, but he’s almost always pleasantly surprised by the reaction. Most people aren’t angry at him for holding them responsible for breaking the law, which Ohme said he hopes is because he treated them fairly. One man he encountered at a store even became emotional and thanked him for sending him to prison, which he said helped turn his life around.
Ohme said a lot of people don’t understand the responsibility that comes with the job of chief criminal prosecutor. While judges may make final sentencing decisions, prosecutors wield a great deal of power over people’s lives.
They decide what crime, if any, defendants should be charged with after looking over the evidence, which sometimes requires them to direct additional investigations. In most cases, they are responsible for working out plea bargains with sentencing recommendations which judges almost always follow. In the other cases, they pursue justice before a jury.
“It’s a job you don’t really leave behind when you leave the office,” he said. “It’s a great job, but it definitely takes a toll on you.”
Despite all the ugliness he saw as a prosecutor, Ohme’s worldview is generally optimistic. Ohme, who is confined to a wheelchair, said he is always heartened by the number of polite people he encounters who just want to be helpful to him.
“My wife would probably say I’m a cynic,” he said, “but I think most people are generally good, even people who find themselves in the criminal justice system. Most people are redeemable.”
