Angela Gray, left, welcomes Marty Maley. Maley, one of five candidates for Louisiana Attorney General, was the lone candidate to speak Thursday in Franklin.

FRANKLIN — The Oct. 24 general election candidate forum Thursday in Franklin included words from candidates running for state Attorney General.

All one of the candidates, that is.

“I will not speak on their behalf, but I will take their time,” said Marty Maley, drawing laughter when he poked fun at the absence of incumbent AG Buddy Caldwell and challenger Jeff Landry, who lives in nearby New Iberia.

The Baton Rouge resident spoke to emphasize his conservative values to Teche Area voters. He boasted his lifelong National Rifle Association membership and commitment to the sportsman lifestyle.

“I think we should have as many guns as we want, legally,” he said. “I think we should have as many bullets as we want, legally. I want us to use our guns responsibly. I want you to have your guns, but please, use them responsibly.”

On the death penalty, Maley said he would support its use as long as it remained constitutionally allowed. However, he admitted as a Christian, it has been difficult to reconcile that and added there was another caveat to consider with execution.

“I think we’re at an age or time when it’s lost its deterrent effect,” Maley said, pointing out criminals know it takes decades for a death sentence to be carried out.

On a more progressive note, Maley spoke strongly in favor of early intervention programs — he specifically extolled the success of the 16th Judicial District’s own such program — to target at-risk children and teenagers to curb criminal behavior. He said he even supported alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders if they resulted in a lower recidivism rate.

“Bobby Jindal has dismantled juvenile justice in this state,” Maley charged.

The Republican said he has spent two years visiting each parish in the state at least once and as many political forums as he can, putting more than 247,000 miles on two vehicles with a staffer in that time period.

Although short on promises, Maley did pledge to uphold the integrity of the office if elected.