Lisa Middleman Files Candidacy For Allegheny County District Attorney

PITTSBURGH (KDKDA) -- Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala has picked up a challenger for his office.

Longtime public defender Lisa Middleman kicked off her independent campaign Thursday night at Mister Smalls In Millvale.

Middleman is campaigning to overhaul the district attorney's office, with policies like eliminating cash bail and reducing the number of inmates in the county jail.

"It's time to treat and restore those who suffer from mental illness, not neglect and discard them into the jails and prisons," Middleman said Thursday. "It's time to strengthen families, not destroy them. And it's time to invest in our communities, not abandon them."

Middleman tallied more than 11,000 signatures in support of her independent campaign, well over the approximately 3,700 required, according to our news partners at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Back in the spring, Zappala faced a Democratic primary challenge from Turahn Jenkins, but Zappala won by 18 points.

"We have waited 21 years with the same district attorney, with the same failed policies, and the same lack of results," Middleman said Thursday. "We've waited 21 years for some kind of change. We are done waiting."