Brand New DAy
Greetings! I am pleased to present the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney's inaugural newsletter featuring the work, progress, and accomplishments of our incredible DA team. It is hard to believe we are almost midway through the first year of this remarkable journey. It is an honor to serve as your newly-elected District Attorney.
These first few months have been filled with activity and productivity. Not only have my Executive Staff and I assembled a phenomenal team of people- from attorneys, to investigators, victim-witness advocates, and administrative support- we have succeeded in accomplishing many of our short-term goals. We revamped some processes and streamlined others. Together we are working hard to create a balance between prosecution, prevention/intervention, and awareness, with innovative programs and initiatives inside and beyond the courthouse walls.
We kicked-off the year with our signature
"Love Run 5K to End Domestic Violence," once again raising awareness and funds for our partner organization,
Women's Resource Center to End Domestic Violence.
In March, we engaged with our youth in a new endeavor dubbed
JustUs Fun Day, a collaborative effort between the District Attorney's Office and
District 4 Commissioner Steve Bradshaw, in commemoration of
National Youth Violence Prevention Week.
I've had the pleasure of participating in a number of important events focused on topics ranging from human trafficking and sexual exploitation, to domestic violence and child abuse and neglect. I also joined other leaders in action-oriented discussions about race, community-law enforcement relations, and violence-reduction strategies.
Additionally, our team has had a number of prosecution successes including the murder convictions of two violent gang members, a life sentence for a serial rapist
, and the conviction of a day care provider who severely injured a toddler.
Several of our team members have also been publicly recognized for their work in our Office and their commitment to related causes. We are proud of our work, but refuse to rest on our laurels. There is plenty of work on the horizon.
I am looking forward to connecting with you in the months and years ahead with exciting news and information. Please be sure to follow us on social media and via our website for frequent updates.
Sincerely,
|
District Attorney
Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit
|
|
Swearing-In Ceremony for DeKalb's Elected Officials
|
|
Presenting Love Ru
n 5K Proceeds to the
Women's Resource Center
|
|
Presenting the 2017 Officer of the Year Awards
|
|
Building Awareness
District Attorney Boston and members of the Office's Victim-Witness Assistance staff participated in Prosecution-Based Victim Advocates' Day sponsored by the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia (PAC)
at the State Capitol in March. Governor Nathan Deal recognized advocates from across the state for their critical role in victim advocacy. The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners supported the DA's participation with a proclamation declaring February 28, 2017, "Victim Advocacy Day" in DeKalb County.
District Attorney Boston also participated in Stop Violence against Women Day at the State Capitol and served as keynote speaker for the Anti-Sex Trafficking Lobby Day luncheon sponsored by Wellspring Living and Street Grace.
DA Boston shared the stage with a trafficking survivor who now advocates on behalf of other victims of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
In May, members of the District Attorney's Special Victims Unit joined law enforcement partners and community stakeholders as Governor Deal signed House Bill 341, which strengthens penalties against commercial sexual exploitation buyers, into law.
In February, DA staffers donned black dresses for the Junior League of DeKalb County's week-long awareness campaign dubbed The Little Black Dress Initiative. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness about issues impacting low-income women and children, including barriers to literacy and inter-generational poverty.
|
Employee Spotlight
Chief Assistant District Attorney Jenni Stolarski was honored by the
International Women's House in March for her commitment to domestic violence awareness and prevention. She shared the honor with
DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Clarence Seeliger.
In April, Community Affairs Director, Sonja Brown, and several other prosecution partners/colleagues received the 2017 Northern District of Georgia's U.S. Attorney's Award for outstanding community outreach through the agency's "Real Talk about the Law" youth initiative.
V
ictim Advocate, Maria Callava, was featured as Advocate of the Month on the National Advocate Credentialing Program's new website, www.thenacp.org, for her work in support of DeKalb County's victims and families.
|
Community Engagement
Employees from all facets of the District Attorney's Office have extended themselves beyond their normal work duties to engage with the public in a variety of ways, from career days, to parent summits, and reading initiatives. Some team members have even received public recognition for their good deeds and passionate commitment to important causes.
|
Continuing the Journey
In February, DeKalb County Television (DCTV Channel 23) featured District Attorney Boston in a powerful Black History Month series
titled Continuing the Journey: I Am Black History.
|
Quick Links
Please click here to visit:
|
|
| |
District Attorney Milestone
|
|
|
District Attorney Sherry Boston's First Day
|
On January 1, 2017, Sherry Boston assumed the role of District Attorney for the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit, overseeing felony prosecutions in the Superior Court of DeKalb County. Under her administration, the Office has indicted and accused approximately 1,200 cases and garnered convictions via trial and plea in a number of notable cases.
DA Boston has also outlined a number of priorities which include restructuring and streamlining office programs and services as appropriate in an effort to more efficiently serve victims and citizens. In addition to victim advocacy, DA Boston remains committed to a balanced prosecution approach which includes prevention and intervention programs and robust community engagement. To date, District Attorney staff members have logged more than 1,600 volunteer hours in association with a variety of worthwhile community causes.
In April, District Attorney Boston reached the 100 day mark as DeKalb's newly-elected top prosecutor. During a special celebration commemorating the milestone, DA Boston applauded her team and credited their hard work and dedication with the Office's early success.
|
Love Run 5K to End Domestic Violence
In February, the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney took its fight against domestic violence to the streets of Decatur. Continuing a tradition she began as Solicitor-General, DA Boston hosted the second annual
Love Run 5K to End Domestic Violence. The event, which coincided with
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, raised more than $4,000 in proceeds with the participation of nearly
400 runners and walkers. The funds were donated to the Women's Resource Center to End Domestic Violence to benefit its children's programs.
The
Love Run 5k is one of several outreach initiatives developed by District Attorney Boston to engage and educate the public about the issue of domestic violence. In October, Ms. Boston will host her 7th annual domestic violence symposium and resource fair titled
"Building Bridges, Making Connections: Coordinating a Community Response to Domestic Violence". DA Boston and her
team also regularly speak with youth about the impact of teen dating violence and strategies for prevention.
If you are interested in getting a jump start on registration for next year's
Love Run 5K, special early bird rates of $20 are available for a limited time. The event is scheduled for Saturday, February 24, 2018.
Register Now.
|
Supporting Partners
The Office of the DeKalb District Attorney is partnering with
DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond for the County's
DeKalb Works summer program for youth. The DA's Office will host five interns through the initiative in an effort to expose youth to positive career and life opportunities.
The DA's Office also participated in
Commissioner Kathie Gannon's annual food drive benefiting the
Atlanta Community Food Bank. The 2017 "Out Fox Hunger" campaign generated more than 7,000 pounds of food.
District Attorney Boston joined an impressive gather
ing of elected officials and community stakeholders for the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy's
Change Makers Breakfast and annual Flag Raising Memorial Service, two key events supporting the organization's work for abused and neglected children.
DA Boston also participated in a collaborative leadership effort to discuss public safety and partnership opportunities with representatives from DeKalb's Muslim community.
Later, she later participated in the
Urban Elected Prosecutors' Summit in Atlanta hosted by the Fulton County District Attorney's Office. The three-day conference included discussions about strengthening law enforcement, prosecution, civic, and community ties.
|
|
DA Case Files
Gang Members Convicted in Deadly Crime Spree
Two violent gang members have been convicted and sentenced to life in prison in connection with a deadly crime spree. Jurors returned guilty verdicts in April against 22-year-old Joseph Broxton and 24-year-old Daniel Pena for their roles in the shooting deaths of three people and gunshot injuries to three others following a series of attacks during the summer of 2015. The men were members of the 'Hate Committee,' a local subset of the nationally known 'Gangster Disciples' criminal street gang.
Serial Rapist to Serve Life
A convicted rapist will spend life behind bars following a new conviction for child molestation. 61-year-old Joseph Timothy Jones was convicted in March on three counts of Child Molestation for abusing a five-year-old child visiting his home in 2014. Jones previously served prison time for rape and molestation convictions ranging from 1970 to 1997.
Infamous Jewel Thief Pleads Guilty
An internationally renowned jewel thief has been banned from all DeKalb County malls after pleading guilty to stealing a high-end necklace from the Von Maur Department store in Perimeter in 2016. Doris Payne, 86, was sentenced to three years' probation and 120 days house arrest following plea proceedings in March. Ms. Payne's theft crimes have been the subject of numerous news stories and a documentary titled
The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne. At the time of her arrest, Payne was on probation for a theft conviction in California and awaiting trial in neighboring Fulton County for a 2015 theft.
New Prosecution Team for Officer-Involved Murder Case
DA Boston has assembled a new team of attorneys to prosecute the case against former DeKalb County Police Officer Robert Olsen. A Grand Jury indicted Olsen in January 2016 on Murder and related charges for the shooting death of Anthony Hill, 27. The case is currently on appeal in the Georgia Supreme Court. Following a ruling, the matter will be returned to the jurisdiction of the DeKalb County Superior Court where a trial date may be determined.
|
"JustUs" Fun Day
District Attorney Boston and District 4 Commissioner Steve Bradshaw
teamed up for the DA's first annual "JustUs Fun Day" for DeKalb youth in recognition of National Youth Violence Prevention Week. The event, which was held at the Hamilton Recreation Center in Scottdale, featured food, activities, and an in-depth discussion session highlighting strategies for bullying and violence prevention. Volunteers from the District Attorney's Juvenile Division, along with counterparts from Juvenile Court, the Public Defenders' Office, and the DeKalb Police Athletic League (PAL) participated in the inaugural event.
|
|
| |
|
