Cohron wins attorney race

Assistant commonwealths attorney ready to fill seat vacated by Judge Wilson

By Hayli Fellwock, hfellwock@bgdailynews.com — 270-783-3240

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Chris Cohron likely will be sworn in Jan. 3 as the next commonwealths attorney for the eighth judicial circuit after winning a closely contested election Tuesday night.He is the Democratic nominee and there is no Republican running. But others have the opportunity to write in as candidates until Oct. 22, 10 days before the election, according to the Warren County Clerks office.Cohron defeated opponent Joe Kirwan, a Bowling Green defense attorney, by 518 votes. Cohron finished with 3,169 votes to Kirwans 2,651 in an election that saw about 15 percent voter turnout, according to unofficial vote totals. Cohron, who gathered with supporters at Mariahs after the election, said he is eager to continue with business as usual. My office as a whole is ready to get back, Cohron said Tuesday night after the election. (The election) hasnt been much of a distraction, but the little bit of distraction it was, its over now.Cohron paced nervously as results were being announced at the Warren County Courthouse, and was congratulated by a number of city and county officials after it was clear that hed won. As for Kirwan, he said he did not regret campaigning for the seat and would consider running again in 2006, when Cohrons term expires. Well see what happens you never say never, Kirwan said. Well just have to see what tomorrow brings. I hate to lose but Im glad I ran. Its like having a jury trial. Somebodys got to lose.As opposed to Cohrons four years of law experience, Kirwan has 25 years of law experience, and said he campaigned with that experience as his distinguishing feature. Kirwans experience includes work in the Warren County Office of Commonwealths Attorney in the mid-1980s and the Warren County Public Defenders Office before that. Cohron said thinking defensively during his 10 months in the Public Defenders Office in Nashville has helped him better anticipate strategies of defense attorneys he now faces every day. The experience in the commonwealths attorneys office has acquainted Cohron with the various cases, and will allow for a smoother transition. It is a transition he said was foreseen by the entire office staff when Steve Wilson, now a circuit court judge, first considered leaving. At that time, however, Cohron did not meet the required four years experience for a gubernatorial appointment to commonwealths attorney. May 3 marked his fourth anniversary of admittance to the bar, and Cohron said he is ready to step up. Im looking forward to working under Mike Pearson until I am sworn in January, he said. Then things can continue as is. After leaving the Public Defenders Office in Nashville in October 2001 the largest office of its kind in the Southeast, Cohron said he joined the Warren County Office of Commonwealths Attorney. In 2003, he was named first assistant to Pearson, who was appointed after Wilson was elected to Warren County Circuit Court judgeship. Pearson decided not to seek election in May and endorsed Cohron instead, as did former Commonwealths Attorney Morris Lowe. Lowe retired in 1990 after 32 years of service, and appeared in print ads with Cohron during the campaign. Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700