District Attorney Ben David discusses why he’s not seeking re-election
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Ben David, who has served as district attorney for New Hanover and Pender Counties for almost 20 years announced in a news release Monday that he would not be seeking re-election next year. David said he’ll leave the D.A’s office next September.
In his first interview since making the announcement, David told WECT’s Frances Weller Wednesday there are two things, he wants to make perfectly clear about his upcoming departure.
Ben David tells WECT’s Frances Weller why he’s not seeking re-election next year(wect)
“There’s nothing wrong,” David said. “And that is why it is the right time to make this transition.”
And he’s not leaving to run for North Carolina attorney General.
“Josh (Stein) just reached out to me today and said ‘man I didn’t see that one coming.’ No. I am not running for attorney general,” David said.
David says he’s not sure at this point what he will do but says he made the decision to make the announcement now to give his office and the people who elected him for six terms time to consider a replacement—a replacement he hopes will from from the current DA’s office.
“The reason I made this announcement now more than nine months before I’m leaving is that this is a time of discernment for everybody. First and foremost for the community because this office belongs to them. It doesn’t belong to me,” he said. “And I can’t hand it off to someone else. So the first reason I did this is to make sure the community has a meaningful chance to decide who is going to be their next district attorney.”
David says after nearly 25 years in the district attorneys office–the first five years as an assistant—it was time. In North Carolina after 25 years, elected judges and district attorneys go into what is considered judicial retirement. They don’t have to leave office, but their salaries are capped, according to David. He said he will also use the next nine months to explore other career opportunities.
“I mean to be very clear on this. I’ve never done this job for the money. I have tried my best to serve others and have been enriched immeasurably by the people I have worked with and met along the way.”
David says its possible he could go into private practice but there are no immediate plans for that right now. He says he’s keeping his options open.
“I’ve been blessed. I’ve been blessed to do a job that I love with people I love in a place I love and I truly look at this as a calling.” he says.
David’s job as district attorney is far from over. There are several murder trials where he’ll prosecute the case–not one of his assistant DA’s. One of those trials starts Monday, Dec. 4. 17-year-old Gavin Dozier was fatally shot in the parking of the Walmart in Monkey Junction during an apparent robbery in 2020.
“I have considered it the great privilege of my professional life to speak for the dead during murder trials,” David said. “And I’ve been doing that now for almost 25 years. And what I tell people is the very best part about my job is that as district attorney, you get to meet everybody. The worst part about my job is how I meet some families and that’s to tell them their family members aren’t coming home.”
As the top prosecutor, David says he’s actually a big proponent of second chances. He says there are a lot of good people with bad problems. He’s especially proud when he runs into people he’s prosecuted who have turned their lives around.
“I was pumping gas the other day at the station and this woman rolls down her window and says ‘Mr. David do you remember me?’ And I didn’t. She said ‘about ten years ago I broke into some homes to support a drug habit and you put me into drug treatment court and I’m clean now and I have been for four years and I want to introduce you to my kids.’”
David says he intends to keep his law license and has no intentions of leaving Wilmington where he and his wife have raised three children. His career as a DA may be winding down but at 53, he’s far from retiring and intends to redirect his passion for being the voice for victims and helping people find their second chances.
“That’s why I’m excited because even though I’m not going to be your district attorney this time next year, I know this community,” David said. “I know what we need to do and I’m not done fighting for it.”
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