After federal and state prosecutors in Maryland, Virginia, Louisiana and Alabama filed charges against John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, suspects in an October sniper shooting spree in suburban Washington DC, as well as in gun murders in at least three states in the South and Northwest, U.S. Attorney John Ashcroft made the call on who will try them first. He selected two Virginia prosecutors: Robert F. Horan, Jr., commonwealth’s attorney of Fairfax County and an NDAA vice president; and Paul B. Ebert, commonwealth’s attorney of Prince William County. Although Horan and Ebert are dissimilar in personality and approach, they are alike in many other aspects. Both are tough, skilled, experienced prosecutors who have tried and won many death penalty cases. Horan, who has held his post for 35 years, is considered the “dean” of Virginia’s prosecutors. A former county judge who was once a chief deputy to Horan recalled a courtroom showdown between “a team of fancy lawyers” and Horan. “You see three lawyers walk in,” he said, “good lawyers, with suitcases full of papers and law books. Then Horan walks in with a pencil and a yellow pad…and he beats them to death.”
Grover C. Trask II, DA of Riverside County, California, and an NDAA board member, has been named one of California’s top 100 attorneys by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal newspapers. Trask is one of California’s longest-serving DAs, having been in the office for 20 years. The newspaper said, “He transformed the office into a home for career prosecutors, boasting one of the state’s highest conviction rates. He’s a national presence and a driving force that other district attorneys in the state look to for guidance.” Trask served two terms as president of the California District Attorneys Association.
Paul A. Logli, state’s attorney for Rockford, Illinois, and a member of the NDAA Board, was presented the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award at a reception in his honor sponsored by the Winnebago County Bar Association and the Blackhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The recipient of this special award must have attained the Eagle Scout rank a minimum of 25 years before his nomination, and over those years, he must have rendered outstanding service to others.
It was the longest-running crime story in Philadelphia’s history. Thanks to the persistence of DA Lynne Abraham, Ira Einhorn was convicted of first-degree murder 25 years after the mummified remains of his girlfriend, Holly Maddux, were found in a steamer trunk in Einhorn’s apartment. He was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Einhorn fled to Europe after discovery of Maddux’s body in 1977, and in 1993 a jury convicted him in absentia of first-degree murder. Philadelphia DA Abraham was determined to find Einhorn and bring him to justice and initiated an extensive search. Seven years later Einhorn was discovered in the Bordeaux section of France and taken into custody. A four-year extradition battle ensued and French authorities finally agreed to extradite Einhorn if he was granted a new trial. In an unprecedented action, the Pennsylvania legislature granted Einhorn a second trial to secure his extradition. After Einhorn was convicted and sentenced, DA Abraham told reporters, “This should…prove that justice delayed is not justice denied.”
Michael D. Bradbury has retired after 24 years as DA of Ventura County, California, and 33 years as a prosecutor, to become a partner in the Los Angeles law firm of Weston, Benshoof, Rochefort, Rubacava & MacCuish. Described by the law firm as “One of the most well-regarded public officials in California,” Bradbury, as DA, headed an office with a staff of 600 and an annual budget of $50 million. He is a former board member of NDAA and was the first DA to be elected twice to the presidency of the state’s DAs association. During his tenure, Bradbury and his office won many awards for their law enforcement programs.
Former Los Angeles DA Gil Garcetti has been named to the city’s Ethics Commission, a semi-independent body responsible for monitoring lobbyists and politicians’ fund-raising. Garcetti is the first former elected official to serve on the 11-year-old commission and was confirmed unanimously by the LA City Council. His son, Eric, a city councilman, recused himself from voting on his father’s appointment and Garcetti said he would recuse himself from any matters involving his son.
Arthur C. “Cappy” Eads, former NDAA president (1985-86) and former longtime DA of Bell County (Belton), Texas, has become of counsel to a Waco law firm that specializes in civil litigation, personal injury, class actions, insurance, consumer and employment law in federal courts.
Alan A. Rockoff, former NDAA treasurer, enjoyed a career as prosecutor of Middlesex County, New Jersey, and as a state superior court judge for two decades. He was honored on his recent retirement from the bench by the Middlesex County Bar Association. New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey and state AG David Samson were among the invited guests.
David L. Morse, prosecuting attorney of Livingston County (Howell), Michigan, is the new president of the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan. Charles “Chuck” Sherman, prosecuting attorney of Clinton County (St. Johns), is president-elect, and Stuart Dunnings, prosecuting attorney of Ingham County (Lansing), is vice president.
Scott Newman has joined the Indianapolis law firm of Barnes & Thornburg after concluding his second four-year term as prosecuting attorney of Marion County, (Indianapolis), Indiana. Alan A. Levin, managing partner, noted that Newman “has personally tried high profile cases and supervised hundreds of others during his eight years as Marion County prosecutor,” adding that “he has been known for his intensity, his intelligence and integrity… He will make an excellent addition to our firm.” Before becoming prosecuting attorney, Newman had been an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
DEATHS:
John Buchanan, 37, prosecuting attorney for Boone County, Indiana, died after a six-year battle with cancer. In 1996, Buchanan, the son and grandson of prosecutors, was to replace Rebecca McClure as prosecuting attorney when she resigned to take a position with the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council. But when he was diagnosed with cancer, his wife Pam, a deputy prosecutor in the office, stepped in to fill out the remainder of McClure’s term. When Buchanan’s health seemed to improve, he ran and was elected in 1998 to the top job. Soon thereafter, however, his health gradually began to fail. Buchanan’s grandfather, Warren Buchanan, served as prosecuting attorney of Parke County, and his father, James Buchanan served as prosecuting attorney of Boone County.
C. Robert Satti, Sr., an NDAA past vice president known as “the bulldog” for his persistence in the pursuit of justice when he was state’s attorney of New London, Connecticut, died of cancer in New London in October. He was 74. Satti was appointed the first full-time state’s attorney for New London County in 1975 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1995, culminating 41 years of service as a prosecutor. Retired state Supreme Court Justice Angelo Santaniello said Satti “was born to be a prosecutor. He was the prototype of what a good prosecutor should be.” Kevin Kane, who succeeded Satti as state’s attorney of New London County, called his one-time mentor, “the best.”
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