In 2003, during Kamala Harris’s campaign for San Francisco District Attorney, questions arose about the accuracy of her claims regarding her courtroom experience.

According to ABC News, Harris’s campaign distributed mailers touting her “thirteen years of courtroom experience” and promoted her as having “tried hundreds of serious and violent felonies,” including homicide, rape, and child sexual assault cases. This messaging was designed to frame Harris as a seasoned prosecutor with extensive experience handling serious crimes.

However, during a 2003 KGO Radio debate, her opponent Bill Fazio, a veteran defense attorney, challenged Harris on these claims, accusing her of being misleading. Fazio pointed out inconsistencies between her stated experience and her campaign literature, asserting that Harris hadn’t personally tried hundreds of serious felonies as claimed.

He questioned her trustworthiness, stating, “I think that’s misleading. I think that shows that you are incapable of leadership and you’re not to be trusted.”

The core issue revolves around the difference between the terms “tried” and “prosecuted.” While Harris’s campaign used both terms, they have distinct legal meanings. To “prosecute” a case involves overseeing and managing it through the legal system—initiating charges, handling pre-trial activities, and managing the case.

To “try” a case, however, specifically refers to presenting and arguing the case in court before a judge or jury. Not all prosecutions result in a trial, which means the number of cases a prosecutor has “tried” is often much smaller than the number they’ve “prosecuted.”

Harris’s spokesperson, James Singer, defended her record, clarifying that she “oversaw and was involved in the prosecution of hundreds of serious crimes” before becoming District Attorney.

This included work on cases related to homicides, child sexual assault, and robberies. However, the campaign’s use of the word “tried” led to confusion about her exact role in these cases, raising concerns that her experience was being exaggerated to bolster her credentials.

Former colleagues suggested that the campaign’s intention was to convey that Harris had significant courtroom experience, even if the specific terminology used might have blurred the distinction between managing cases and actively trying them in court.

As one anonymous litigator explained to ABC, claiming to have “tried” cases implies direct involvement in presenting them at trial, a more limited role than overseeing the prosecution of cases more broadly.