Commonwealth's Attorneys' Offices Closed This Week

Most of the employees in Kentucky’s Commonwealth’s Attorneys offices are on unpaid furlough this week.  Governor Steve Beshear ordered budget cuts to the department, which led to the furlough week.  It’s a move to help offset the state’s budget deficit.Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney David Stengel says his staff is already carrying heavy caseloads, and a week of not working isn’t going to help.“It’s not going to just put us a week behind, because crime doesn’t stop for that week," says Stengel.  "So our already backlogged cases will get another week backlogged, people will be sitting in jail another week waiting to have their day in court, witnesses will not be able to come in and have their cases finally adjudicated… it’s going to be a mess.”Stengel has a staff of about 100 people.  Most of them will be out the entire week.Another dozen or so are Metro Government employees; they’ll work Monday through Thursday, but Friday is a city-mandated unpaid furlough day.