Weathersbee

Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Frank R. Weathersbee this week survived a challenge from Republican John Greiber in one of the dirtiest races of the season. We think the voters made the right choice, but Mr. Weathersbee shouldn't consider his win an enthusiastic endorsement of the way he has handled his job. This campaign pointed out that Mr. Weathersbee has his flaws; we hope he will learn from his close victory and set about making changes in his office.Mr. Weathersbee must first try to communicate more effectively with the citizens of the county.

A local police lodge endorsed county state's attorney Frank R. Weathersbee as a payback for pressing no criminal charges against an officer who fatally shot a pregnant woman during a drug raid, Weathersbee's challenger charged yesterday.Republican candidate Timothy D. Murnane said he was told last summer by the vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police, Anne Arundel Lodge 70, that the group owed Weathersbee an endorsement for his handling of the case involving Thomas G. Tyzack, who shot and killed 26-year-old Crystal Wallace during a raid last October in Severn.

State's Attorney Frank R. Weathersbee tells potential voters that he's been a prosecutor in Anne Arundel County nearly as long as his opponent has been alive. That's part of the problem, says Dave Fischer, his 36-year-old Republican challenger. "It comes down to complacency and inaction. That's the choice voters are going to have. I am a lawyer who is aggressive," Fischer said. Weathersbee, 62, a Democrat, has stressed the innovations in his office, which has been out front statewide on drug treatment courts, mediation to settle disputes out of the courtroom and victim assistance.

An Annapolis lawyer running for county state's attorney charged yesterday that the incumbent's policy of allowing prosecutors to practice civil law part time has delayed criminal trials.At a news conference, John R. Greiber Jr. cited statistics showing that State's Attorney Frank R. Weathersbee's office exceeds the state average for the length of time between when a criminal complaint is filed and when the case is completed.In Anne Arundel, the average number of days between the initiation and completion of the case rose from 138 days to 144 days in the 12-month period ending June 30, according to the annual report by the administrative office of the courts.

Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Frank R. Weathersbee narrowly beat Republican challenger John R. Greiber last night after a nasty campaign in which the candidates attacked each other's competence and credentials.With 147 of the 155 precincts counted last night, Mr. Weathersbee had 54 percent of the vote to Mr. Greiber's 46 percent.Mr. Greiber, who in his campaign called the incumbent a "weak prosecutor" who was too slow to bring cases to trial and too reluctant to seek the death penalty, last night blamed the media for his loss.

The two candidates for Anne Arundel County state's attorney were at The Sun newsroom in Pasadena on Oct. 10 to debate. Incumbent Democrat Frank Weathersbee and Republican John Greiber were questioned by three Sun reporters for more than an hour. What follows is an edited transcript of that exchange.Mr. Weathersbee, does it harm prosecutions for assistant state's attorneys to engage in part-time private practice?Weathersbee: No, I don't think so. In a majority of the offices throughout the state, part-time practice is allowed.

A former aide to county State's Attorney Frank R. Weathersbee has agreed to plead guilty and serve six months in jail for stealing $12,500 from an office fund, according to authorities and documents obtained by The Sun.In a letter outlining the plea arrangement, Alvin J. Arnett, 60, of Annapolis agreed to plead guilty to one count of fraudulent misappropriation of funds.The state attorney general's office is to recommend a five-year sentence with all but six months suspended, according to the agreement.

Four years ago, Republican lawyer David W. Fischer mounted a well-financed challenge to a six-term congressman from his own party, U.S. Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest. Fischer lost in the GOP primary by a 3-2 margin. Now Fischer has his sights on the post of another longtime official, five-term State's Attorney Frank R. Weathersbee, a Democrat. Political observers say Fischer, 36, could present a formidable challenge to Weathersbee, 62, in the Republican-trending county but that he has an uphill battle.

Soft-spoken and low-key, Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Frank R. Weathersbee would rather be at a meeting on victim services than at a political forum. He has stayed out of the limelight so much so that the lawyer for the defendant in a pending local murder case that will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court has never met him. Now, however, the career prosecutor finds himself in the middle of a political and legal dispute. Ever since a black teenager died after a melee at a Pasadena party in July, Weathersbee, 61, has been harshly criticized by some for not prosecuting the case aggressively enough - and by others for bringing charges at all. The dead youth's family was incensed when Weathersbee's office dropped murder charges against four white men allegedly involved in the melee.