Kaufman Murder Case Ends in Death Sentence

The Dallas Morning News recently printed a follow up article on the Kaufman Prosecutor Murder case which resulted in the conviction of Eric Williams. My law partner Bill Wirskye and my self were appointed a Special Prosecutors on the case after Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse was gunned down near the Kaufman courthouse. We were also appointed to Special Prosecutors when Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McClelland and his wife Cindy were murdered in their home on March 30, 2013. Eric Williams was arrested, Indicted and last week sentenced to death.

Of course my regular job is defending citizens accused of state and federal crimes, however Bill and I did not hesitate to act as special prosecutors in this case. We had a previous relationship with prosecutors in the Kaufman County DA’s office and prosecuted many cases as former Dallas prosecutors. This crime shocked everyone involved in the criminal justice system. I was proud to be part of the prosecution team which included some of my former colleagues Federal prosecutor Jerri Sims, Tarrant County prosecutor Miles Brissette and Tom Damore who was also in private practice and assisted in the prosecution.

Attorney’s in private practice are asked to serve as special prosecutors on occasion usually due to some type of conflict of interest. I feel in the end this can benefit my clients in private practice. A good criminal attorney almost always has a good relationship with the prosecutors he or she goes up against.