DA Gilchrist Announces Retirement

It says a lot about Peter Gilchrist that, in eight re-election campaigns over three decades, no one ever ran against him.

But he won’t be on the ballot next fall. Thursday he confirmed what many expected: He’s decided it’s time to call it a career.

“It’s really time for somebody else to assume the leadership of this office,” Gilchrist said.

There is little question that Gilchrist has the respect of many in the legal community, and of voters, who elected him nine times. But he has his critics, too.

Julie Eiselt is a crime victim whose case never got to court. Now she and Neighbors For A Safer Charlotte, the community group she helped start, are anxious for a fresh perspective and a new D.A.

“The realist is, nobody is afraid of the criminal justice system,” Eiselt said.

Police have also had their issues with the D.A.’s office, over plea deals and dropped charges. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe declined comment Thursday, but Randy Hagler, who heads the Fraternal Order of Police, said officers see too many people arrested and put right back on the street.

“We’ve got to get tough on repeat offenders. There is no question about it. They’re killing our community, and we’ve got to be aggressive prosecuting those people,” Hagler said.

Gilchrist agrees, but prepares to leave office a realist about what he thinks is possible.

“We will never have the number of prosecutors or staff or judges or courtrooms or jail cells to be able to try everybody that’s charged with a crime in this county,” he said.

Gilchrist leaves behind a long legacy. Seventeen of his former assistant district attorneys are now either state or federal judges.

He does not plan to practice law during his retirement, saying he hopes to take classes and return to the welding and woodworking he enjoyed before becoming district attorney.

To read the full text of Gilchrist's retirement announcement, click here.