| NATIONAL DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION | ||||
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
||||
| NATIONAL DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Having begun his prosecutorial career in 1969, Frank Weathersbee takes pride in the fact that he has been a prosecutor throughout five decades. Mr. Weathersbee has spent almost his entire career in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, where he now serves as state’s attorney. In 1988, he was appointed by the court to replace his predecessor who accepted a judgeship, and he was recently re-elected to serve his fifth term in office. Encompassing Maryland’s Bay Bridge (the only avenue to cross the Chesapeake Bay), Baltimore/Washington International Airport, the National Security Agency, Fort Meade and the Naval Academy, Anne Arundel County has attracted a population of 525,000, which is rapidly growing. Mr. Weathersbee jokes that they “should build a wall around the county and charge admission.” He attributes the tremendous population to the ideal location and diverse nature of the county. Anne Arundel County covers the largest shore line around the Chesapeake Bay, making it a prime vacation spot, but it also includes an urban population bordering Baltimore City, suburban neighborhoods toward Annapolis and the Baltimore and Washington suburbs and rural areas where farming is a way of life. Mr. Weathersbee runs an office that is equally as diverse as his county. He leads a staff of 105 including 43 prosecutors, two deputies, 14 victim specialists, investigators, public information officers and numerous support staff. An interesting program that the county has implemented involves the concept of job sharing. Eight attorneys in the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office work part time, sharing positions. Mr. Weathersbee said, “It is a terrific option for those who want to pursue a career and raise children.” In addition, the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office is known for its dedication to victim advocacy. It was the second county in the state of Maryland to implement a victim advocacy program in 1978. Mr. Weathersbee points out that the program “has been nationally recognized and has become a model for the rest of the state.” The office has made great strides in recent decades. The modern day business of the Anne Arundel State’s Attorney’s Office is a far cry from what Mr. Weathersbee remembers when he began his career there in 1969. “The office used to be a small, part time organization where everyone was involved in private practice. Career prosecutors did not exist—everyone was a private attorney.” Mr. Weathersbee recalls the days before computers, and those days when the office only had one computer, which Mr. Weathersbee says, “is worse than having none.” It was the concept of victim advocacy that jump-started the trend of career prosecution. “When victim advocacy came along, people had to give up their private practices and focus on prosecution.” Today, career prosecutors are common in Anne Arundel County, and victim advocacy is a priority. One of the largest problems that the county faces today, Mr. Weathersbee says, is drugs. “Drugs are always a problem, as they are throughout the country.” He also points out that identity theft is one of the nation’s fastest growing crimes and that he has increased his staff to support work to prevent and prosecute this crime. “[Identity theft] is easier than robbing a bank and the sanctions are often times too lenient to deter and punish offenders.” Recently, Mr. Weathersbee has become involved in a program originating out of Denver called Communities Against Senior Exploitation (CASE), which teaches seniors about prevention of identify theft and other types of fraud. Interestingly, his interest in the program was sparked through his work with NDAA. Mr. Weathersbee became an NDAA member in 1994 and served two years as state director. He attributes the implementation of many successful programs in his county (and his involvement in other programs throughout the country) to his attendance at NDAA meetings. “Through interaction with NDAA members I learned about drug courts, which were previously unheard of in Maryland. Now there are drug courts in all Maryland court systems.” Mr. Weathersbee strongly urges all prosecutors to become NDAA members. “I’m sorry that more prosecutors aren’t involved with NDAA. It is a tremendous organization for career prosecutors.” When asked about a case that stands out to him, Mr. Weathersbee recalled a murder case he tried in 1991, called “the Scotland Williams Case.” Scotland Williams killed two attorneys while they were at home in bed. He marked this case as the beginning of his use of DNA evidence in court. “In the early 1990s DNA technology was primitive.” After conducting a Frye hearing to prove the legitimacy of DNA evidence, and then using that evidence in trial, Mr. Weathersbee secured a conviction of Williams and he was sentenced to death. The sentence, however, was overturned and the case was tried again in 1998. The second trial occurred at a time when DNA evidence was becoming more popular and reliable and the technology used in association with DNA evidence was rapidly advancing. Mr. Weathersbee secured a second conviction of Williams with the use of mitochondrial DNA. It was only the fourth time in the country that mitochondrial DNA testing was used in court. Williams was sentenced to life without parole. Mr. Weathersbee has some strong opinions about the election of district attorneys. He believes that DA elections should be non-partisan. Individuals should run based on their record or what their plans are when they are in office, rather than based on party affiliations. He hopes that Maryland will follow the lead of California and Hawaii, both of whom have changed their election procedures to non-partisan. He also mentioned a new concept of term limits for elected prosecutors, which was recently implemented in Colorado. Mr. Weathersbee believes that placing a limit on the number of years one can serve in an elected office discourages individuals from becoming career prosecutors, and it doesn’t allow those elected prosecutors to continue their career in the same capacity. After a hard day in court, Mr. Weathersbee recalls a time when he would leave the courthouse, walk a few blocks, and spend the afternoon sailing on the bay in Annapolis. Today, he has been struck with a case of wanderlust and has traveled the nation with his wife. “My wife and I have visited all 50 state capitals, and we managed to do that by attending NDAA Board Meetings.” Mr. Weathersbee has two daughters, two stepdaughters and six grandchildren. He noted that one of his daughters is a prosecutor in an adjoining county in Maryland. To new prosecutors and those who are considering a career in prosecution, Mr. Weathersbee lends this piece of advice, “Whatever you’re doing, be prepared. You can’t walk into a courtroom without being prepared.” That is sound advice from Mr. Weathersbee who is a seasoned professional, an expert in prosecution, and an individual dedicated to community safety and the pursuit of justice. |
|
| National District Attorneys Association 44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 110, Alexandria, VA 22314 |
Legal Disclaimer | Copyright © 2008 by NDAA All Rights Reserved |
