Weekend Poll: Should Laramie County D.A. Be Removed From Office?

The Wyoming State Bar Board of Professional Responsibility is currently holding hearings that could eventually lead to the removal of Laramie County District Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove from office.

Manlove, who was elected to the office in 2018, is facing two formal charges. One of the allegations pertains to the Andrew Weaver murder case.  You can read formal charges against Manlove here.

Weaver was arrested on Sept. 8, 2019, after stealing a 9mm handgun from a man he had been staying with.

Misdemeanor theft and possession of methamphetamine charges were filed against Weaver on Sept. 12, but not before he had been released from jail.

Manlove, for her part, has admitted that mistakes were made in the Weaver case, adding "we're human." But she also put out a press release this week which included the following:

''Manlove’s decisions to place a priority on the prosecutions of violent and serious crimes rather than prosecuting Laramie County residents not wearing masks during the pandemic is one of several issues the State Bar Board of Professional Responsibility has charged Manlove with – charges which could potentially remove her from the office that Laramie County residents elected her to serve in.

“When faced with budget cuts during the economic downturn, I made many decisions to ensure the District Attorney’s Office could be as effective as possible given the reality of the cutbacks that needed to be made. Going after violent criminals in our communities rather than focusing on maskless Laramie County residents was an easy, common-sense decision for me,” said Manlove.

The State Bar Board of Professional Responsibility is also relitigating issues that the Wyoming Supreme Court already ruled on, in favor of Manlove. The Wyoming Supreme Court denied a petition that the Office of Bar Counsel brought against Manlove a year ago, related to allegations that Manlove asked staff to not report overtime and that Manlove delayed filling vacant positions. Despite the Wyoming Supreme Court’s decision to side with Manlove, the Board of Professional Responsibility is retrying the case.''

Manlove has also said she declined to pressure a 2020 child sex abuse case because of shoddy police work by the Cheyenne Police Department.

So, do you think Leigh Anne Manlove should be removed from office? Or do you think the allegations against her are unfounded and politically motivated?

Maybe you would rather leave that decision to the voters, assuming she chooses to run for re-election this year?

Take our poll and give us your decision.