Jason Hicks, Grady County''s new district attorney, has been duly sworn in and has named his new staff for the Grady County office.
"Second in line to me is first assistant James Walters," Hicks said. "If I am out of state or unable to act for any reason, he will act in my place."
Walters will be in charge of the Grady County office.
In addition to Walters, Hicks has named Lisa Birdwell and Kim Rennie who will both serve as assistant DAs.
Former Grady County Sheriff''s Deputy Michael Laffoon will replace Dusty Dowdle as the DA''s investigator.
James Walters
Walters, a 1987 Chickasha High School graduate, returns to Chickasha after 24 years. He served as prosecutor in Muskogee under two administrations and recently left private practice to serve as first assistant district attorney for Grady County.
During his time under the first administration in Muskogee, Walters said he did a little of everything. While under the next administration, his focus was mainly on violent crimes.
When in private practice, Walters said his major area was criminal defense, but he also handled family law and civil matters.
Walters says his experience as both a prosecuting attorney and a defense attorney will be invaluable in his new position.
"I believe being both a prosecutor and a defense attorney helps you better understand both sides," Walters said. "I understand real-life situations and I do listen to the other side. There are always two sides."
Walters said he wants to make Grady County a safer community in which to live and he wants to unify the various law enforcement agencies with whom his office works.
"I want a good, strong working relationship with the public in general," Walters said. "I want an open-door office where people feel comfortable coming in and talking to us about anything."
Lisa Birdwell
Birdwell, a Weatherford native, earned her Juris Doctorate in Law from the University of Oklahoma and has served as a prosecutor for 15 years.
Working in Nowata, Custer and Beckham counties, Birdwell says she has done a little of everything, including "everything from traffic tickets to murder, but, luckily there were no murders," in Nowata County and felony drug prosecution in Beckham and Custer counties.
But her passions are juvenile law, sex crimes, crimes against the elderly and domestic violence.
In 2007, about to experience an empty nest, Birdwell moved to McAlester the same weekend her son deployed for Iraq. For the last three years, she has focused on juveniles, sex crimes against children and felony assault and battery cases.
"Basically, crimes that have a victim," Birdwell said.
Birdwell believes there is "always something to learn," something she learned from Nowata County Judge James Sontag, her much-loved mentor.
"He always said, ''Every good attorney is a student of the law,''" Birdwell said.
Wanting to become involved with the local child protective services, Birdwell says, "I think my goal wherever I am is the same. I like to be very involved with the child protective team and I want to have a good working relationship with the DHS and law enforcement. It''s pointless not to get along with everybody."
Birdwell says she doesn''t set her personal beliefs and morals aside when she comes to work.
"I believe you do what''s right," she said. "My job is to do the right thing and seek justice. I have a passion for the kids; someone has to give them a voice in court. I have to give them a voice; I have to help them find their words."
Kim Rennie
Rennie, 25, who was originally hired as an intern by former DA Bret Burns, is a graduate of Thomas Cooley Law School in her home state of Michigan.
Due to a shortage of jobs in Michigan, Rennie came to Oklahoma to search for work, moving in with her brother who is stationed at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City in September 2010.
"I packed up the car and the dog and came to live with my brother," Rennie said. "I was hired as an intern with Bret Burns, then I interviewed with Jason (Hicks) and was hired. I got my temporary license (to practice law in Oklahoma) two days before Christmas. It was the best Christmas present ever."
Rennie will take the Oklahoma bar exam in February.
"I''m studying really hard and I''m taking bar courses every night, but I''m not really intimidated by it," she said.
Motivated by her mother, who attended nursing school while raising three children, Rennie owned and ran her own cell phone store while attending law school.
Rennie said she hopes to offer a fresh perspective to the DA''s office.
"I want to do things to help make things better and I want to get involved with the community, but I want never to lose sight of my actual role here," she said.
Working with the drug court, Rennie said she wants to help people beat addiction instead of locking them up time after time.
"It''s something I''m really passionate about," she said.
