Fans of the new TV series “Crime and Punishment” will see a Sweet Home High School graduate when the show airs July 21.
Kurt Mechals, son of Jim and Sharon Mechals, and a 1985 SHHS graduate, will be featured as the San Diego Deputy District Attorney trying the case of “People v. Villa.”
Mechals, who has worked in the DA’s office since 1997, said the show is one of 13 episodes that focus on cases being prosecuted through the office.
In “People v. Villa” Mechals is prosecuting Michael Villa who is on trial for spousal abuse. Due to prior convictions, the DA’s office seeks to enact the three strikes law that would add time to Villa’s sentencing if found guilty.
Mechals was in Sweet Home last week to attend his grandmother’s funeral. He said Friday that the show’s producers had worked with the District Attorney’s office last summer, following several cases.
“But, due to the nature of the legal system, many cases are settled out of court,” Mechals said.
“People v. Villa” was prepared and was supposed to have been tried by one of Mechals peers. The trial was scheduled to begin on Monday but on Friday, the prosecutor’s father was diagnosed with a serious illness and she withdrew from the case. It was handed over the Mechals, who attended Western Oregon University and graduated with a degree in business from Oregon State University.
Mechals works in the family protection division which handles domestic abuse, physical child abuse and sexual abuse cases. He said the DA’s office has a staff of 250-300 prosecutors.
“I love my job,” Mechals said. “The office is big enough that a person can change departments and move into supervisory positions throughout a career.”
Mechals said prosecuting the case with cameras rolling wasn’t too difficult—but said the camera crews did make the more personal chores such as one-on-one interviews—more difficult.
“Guys are moving around with cables and cameras and we tried to ignore them but that was hard to do,” Mechals said.
The show is shot with three cameras and is not scripted nor reenacted.
San Diego is a nice place to live, Mechals said. He earned his law degree from the University of San Diego.
“I liked growing up in Sweet Home,” Mechals said. “I have great friends from here and the teachers were very supportive. It was a small enough school that sports wise, I had an opportunity to participate.”
Single, Mechals enjoys tennis, rollerblading and other outdoor sports. He recently completed remodeling his own home.
How did “People v. Villa” turn out? Was he found guilty or not guilty?
Tune into Crime and Punishment at 10 p.m. July 21 on NBC to find out.