Wednesday, May 5, 2004

McBroom announces re-election bid Fayette County District Attorney Bill McBroom has formally announced he will seek re-election to the post. McBroom, 54, of Griffin, has been DA of the Griffin Judicial Circuit, which includes Fayette County, since 1995. Prior to that, he served as chief assistant district attorney in the Griffin circuit and in the same position in the Dublin judicial circuit. As district attorney, McBroom has conducted jury trials and supervised a team of lawyers charged with prosecuting felony cases at the superior court level. “During my tenure as district attorney, I have upheld the tradition of this circuit in recommending punishment appropriate to the severity of the crime,” McBroom said, adding that he believes he has earned a reputation for fairness. McBroom will face opposition for the post from Fayetteville attorney Scott Ballard. After graduating from West Georgia College, McBroom served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He later received his juris doctor and masters of litigation degrees from Atlanta Law School. In addition to personally prosecuting cases in each county of the circuit, McBroom also created a special “drug prosecutor” position in 1999 to specialize in drug cases and advise the drug task forces in the circuit. Other assistant district attorneys are also trained to try drug cases, he noted. McBroom’s office has also created a web site to inform victims, witnesses and other interested parties about the various stages of criminal prosecution and resources available to assist victims. Since he assumed office in 1995, the number of victim witness advocates has increased from one to six with the use of federal grants and court fees “with virtually no taxpayer funds,” McBroom noted. In 2001, McBroom received the Eagle Award, a statewide honor to “recognize prosecutors for going beyond the call of duty to help victims of crime” navigate the judicial system. McBroom and his wife Janis have been married for 25 years. They have no children but McBroom has served as a mentor for eight years.