JAMES SALES (R)
What is/was your profession? Are you now retired?
I have been a prosecuting attorney for 31 years. I will not be retiring anytime soon as I have a 20 year old son, a 7 year old son and a 79 year old mother who live in my house and like air conditioning, running water and food!
What relevant experience can you bring to office?
My relevant experience over 31 years as a prosecutor includes litigating everything from traffic tickets to capital murder (death penalty). I spent 2 years prosecuting misdemeanors such as theft, DWI, family violence and criminal mischief. The next 4 years were spent trying felonies like sexual assault, aggravated robbery, intoxication manslaughter and white collar crime. I was a misdemeanor chief supervising 6 lawyers. I prosecuted gangs for 10 years trying drive-by shootings, murders, capital murders, engaging in organized criminal activity. I wrote my own appellate briefs. I received death threats, I was physically attacked and was followed by gang members. I spent 13 years as a border prosecutor prosecuting human smuggling, drug trafficking and murders. For the past 2 years I have prosecuted violent offenders, drug offenders and, written appeals and argued appeals before the 13th court of appeals. I have handled many juvenile dockets.
How have your life experiences prepared you for this position?
My life experiences include handling every type of crime there is so I can teach the young prosecutors that fill a District Attorney's office. I had 3 sips of beer as a 16 year old and the school district considered expelling me so I've been a young "defendant" whose future was in doubt. I tackled a burglar running out of my wife's business through a broken window, so I got to be a "cop for a day." I was also attacked in the courtroom by the Mexican Mafia, so I’ve testified as a victim. Basically, I can empathize with the role of the participants in the criminal justice system and that helps me understand what needs to be done.
Which problems would you address on your first day in office?
On my first day in office, I will immediately address the victim's concerns. With defense attorneys running the office in the past and now, the focus is on the criminal and not the victim. We must design a website in which victims have instant access to the status of their case and where they feel confident their questions will be answered. Intake has been a costly problem and we will expand our operating times for the intake unit so that they will operate in hours with no in-house traffic and phone disturbances so that productivity will be more efficient.
What do you see as long-term issues that need to be addressed throughout your time in office?
Prosecutor retention is the long-term issue. In an instant gratification society, young lawyers want to get rid of the student loan debt quickly by taking the highest paying job they can find. We need to convince the legislature to give incentives for prosecutor offices. Stay five years and a student loan will be forgiven/paid for or a huge chunk of it anyway. That's the idea. The legislators can haggle over the minutiae.
What is local government doing well right now that needs to be expanded further?
The local government can improve on the pretrial diversion programs that are in place. We need to include faith-based ministries as an option to the secular programs that exist. Once people respect and revere God, they will have the fundamental base to respect both others as well as themselves.
JIMMY GRANBERRY (R)
What is/was your profession? Are you now retired?
I am a criminal lawyer with 35 years experience: four years as a felony prosecutor from 1990 to 1994, and 31 years as a criminal defense attorney. I also spent two years with Thornton Summers doing insurance defense work. I am currently the district Attorney for the 105th Judicial District of Texas by way of Governor Gregg Abbott's appointment. I was sworn in by County Judge Connie Scott on October 6th, 2024. I am not retired, and hope not to be for as long as I can continue to serve the citizens of Nueces county.
What relevant experience can you bring to office?
I have handled everything from class C tickets to death penalty cases. I have supported myself, my family and educated a daughter who now has a PHD in film from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. I am very proud of my career. The best compliment I ever received was from my father—also an attorney who told me that if he had his career to do over again he would do it just the way I did mine.
How have your life experiences prepared you for this position?
My life experiences have made me who I am. My non-verbal autistic son has taught me patience, tolerance, determination, and raw joy. My fierce, fearless daughter has taught me to embrace life and to charge straight ahead. There is a great big world out there just waiting to be seen and experienced. I was not a fan of travel—now I love it. Sports taught me fair play and teamwork. Growing up on a ranch taught me hard work, and that the animals have to be cared and fed before you are. I have a BA in Literature and Philosophy from Trinity University in San Antonio. Both disciplines challenged my mind and broadened my horizons. Books have taken me everywhere and entertained and challenged me from the time my folks read to me as a child and continue to do so today. My ten year marriage to Dr. Pam Smith has repaired my faith, and given me more happiness than I thought possible. She is my rock, my best friend, and smoking hot to boot. I am truly blessed!
Which problems would you address on your first day in office?
My first day I appointed Michael Gordon as my first assistant. Mike has been with the office for seventeen years and is a brilliant lawyer. My first full day in office I met with Chief Markel at the Corpus Christi Police department and his command staff in an effort to rebuild the connection between our offices. Next day we met with Sheriff Hooper and his staff for the same reasons. The goal was to get my arms around the issues in the office and reestablish dialogue with our law enforcement partners. We have instituted an open-door policy with law enforcement agencies.
What do you see as long-term issues that need to be addressed throughout your time in office?
Lawyer pay and retention. We lag way behind even surrounding counties in prosecutor pay. That seriously needs to change, Freedom isn’t free and neither is public safety. We need to keep the homegrown lawyers we train in Corpus Christi instead of losing them to less beautiful cities that offer more money.
What is local government doing well right now that needs to be expanded further?
Communication between my office, the Sheriffs office, the police department, and other law enforcement agencies as well as Judge Scotts office have, I am told, greatly improved. Mike and I are up on the floors checking on our prosecutors, solving problems, helping, and making ourselves available to courthouse staff, as well as our own people. We have met with our federal partners and have reopened lines of communication. Our days are fast-paced but fun. We are building a team that the county can be proud of. It is challenging, rewarding work. We meet with victims, meet with law enforcement, field questions and promote solutions by applying common sense and elbow grease. I get home tired, hungry and mostly satisfied. But we have lots more problems to solve for every tomorrow.
KRISTI BRITT (R)
What is/was your profession? Are you now retired?
I am currently an Assistant District Attorney in the Nueces County District Attorney’s Office and a Repubican candidate for Nueces County District Attorney
What relevant experience can you bring to office?
I am a proven, qualified, effective, ethical prosecutor. I have been a chief in the office I seek to lead. I have years of multi-level management experience from my 13 years spent in the Oil and Gas industry.
How have your life experiences prepared you for this position?
My work experiences include managing large budgets and staff. My time spent in the DA’s office has given me insight into the problems that need to be addressed. My life as a wife, mother, and grandmother have given me the compassion and empathy needed to serve victims of crime
Which problems would you address on your first day in office?
- Begin the process of addressing inappropriate actions taken by my predecessors before the statute of limitations passes;
- Initiate policy and procedures that are the foundation of a fair, efficient, and effective District Attorney’s Office.
- Review current staffing and implement a recruitment and retention plan.
- Implement ethical policies and procedures to address victim concerns and to prevent wrongful prosecution.
What do you see as long-term issues that need to be addressed throughout your time in office?
Restoring public trust in the District Attorney’s Office, eliminating politics from prosecution, personnel retention, pay commensurate with experience, performance, and competitive with surrounding counties.
