DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James Jr. has promoted Kellie Stevens Hill to be his new chief assistant district attorney, replacing prosecutor Don Geary, who left for a similar position in Cobb County.

Hill, a former Fulton County chief assistant district attorney who joined the DeKalb DA’s office last year, will be responsible for managing all trial line attorneys and the Public Integrity Unit. She worked on the prosecution of Brian Nichols, who killed a judge and three other people during his escape from custody in 2005, and she has practiced law for more than 20 years.

“Kellie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position. She has an impeccable reputation,” James said in a statement.

It’s unknown whether Hill will take over prosecution of the murder case against Andrea Sneiderman, who is accused of conspiring to kill her husband, said spokesman Erik Burton. The case has so far been handled by James and Geary.

James is working to assemble his team on the Sneiderman case, Burton said.

Hill, whose hiring was announced Thursday, becomes the No. 3 attorney in the office, behind James and Chief Assistant District Attorney Nicole Marchand Golden. Hill’s title is chief trial assistant district attorney.

Geary last month decided to become the chief assistant district attorney for incoming District Attorney Vic Reynolds, whom he worked with as an assistant district attorney under Fulton DA Lewis Slaton from 1989 to 1992. Reynolds, who was elected in November, also recruited former DeKalb County Assistant District Attorney John Melvin, who specialized in white collar prosecutions.

James also said he hired two attorneys from the Cobb County district attorney’s office. They are Christopher Timmons, who will serve as an assistant district attorney in the office’s Public Integrity Unit, and Anna Green Cross, who will serve as deputy chief district attorney of capital and complex litigation.

Timmons was recently involved in the racketeering prosecutions of former Glock Inc. general counsel Paul Jannuzzo and former Atlanta federal prosecutor James R. Harper III, who was hired by Glock to investigate fraud.

Cross was a chief assistant district attorney in Cobb’s appellate division and death penalty unit.

“Chris brings a depth of experience in dealing with complicated white-collar, gang and racketeering cases. Anna has an extensive legal background, has written over 40 appellate briefs to the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Court of Appeals and handled numerous capital cases,” James said.

In other moves, James promoted Assistant District Attorney Mirna Andrews to the Crimes Against Children Unit and Assistant District Attorney Carrie McCurdy to the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit. Wayne Pinkney was hired as an investigator for the Gang Unit and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

Contributor: Mark Niesse in DeKalb courts, District Attorneys | subscribe to rss |   share