(ROCKWALL COOUNTY, TX – Jan. 26, 2016) The team of investigators, support staff, and prosecutors who tried the capital murder case against Eric Williams, who killed three people in Kaufman County in 2014 (including two county prosecutors) and was sentenced to death, were honored with an award from the Texas District and County Attorneys Association (TDCAA) at a ceremony in Dallas this week.
The Lone Star Prosecutor Award recognizes prosecutors and prosecutor office personnel whose tireless work “in the trenches” advances justice in their communities. In honoring the prosecution team in the case State of Texas v. Eric Williams, TDCAA lauds those who spent many months securing justice and ended a very dark time for Texas prosecutors and staffs.
“TDCAA’s Board of Directors and our Nominations Committee were proud to recognize the efforts of the lead lawyers, Bill Wirskye and Toby Shook,” says Rob Kepple, TDCAA Executive Director, “but at Bill and Toby’s insistence, we are recognizing the entire team who worked on the capital murder case of Eric Williams. This year’s award acknowledges that a successful prosecution is the work of three vital parts of a prosecutor office: the attorneys, investigators, and support staff. It took a team of 12 to secure justice for the murders of Mark Hasse, Mike McClelland, and Cynthia McClelland.”
“It was just a massive undertaking,” explains Wirskye, now a prosecutor in Collin County. “We had almost 25 terabytes of information collected during the investigation, and there’s no way to house, digest, and get that out for discovery without a huge team behind you. That’s why so many people stepped up and helped us, why so many people played such a valuable role. The whole case exemplified the best in Texas prosecution where everybody
pitches in and we help one another.”
Among those honored were Rockwall County Criminal District Attorney Kenda Culpepper, who said, “I am proud of my role in the prosecution of Eric Williams, but I take even greater pride in the amazing collaborative achievement of the prosecution team. Everyone worked together seamlessly for the benefit of all. It was a true team effort and a blueprint for the future.”
Culpepper added, “Although the Lone Star Award is a prosecution related award, so much credit also needs to go to law enforcement agencies who worked long hours throughout the pendency of this case. These included the FBI, ATF, Texas Rangers, DPS, Kaufman County Sheriff David Byrnes, Rockwall County Sheriff Harold Eavenson, and so many local agencies.”
Trial team members—whom Wirskye dubbed the “dream team”—who received this award include:
• Miles Brissette, former prosecutor in Tarrant County;
• Kenda Culpepper, criminal district attorney in Rockwall County, to whose jurisdiction the trial was moved because of publicity;
• Tom D’Amore, former prosecutor in Dallas County;
• Danny Nutt, investigator in the Tarrant County DA’s Office;
• Mark Porter, investigator in the Tarrant County DA’s Office;
• John Rolater, chief appellate prosecutor in Collin County;
• Damita Sangermano, prosecutor in Rockwall County;
• Toby Shook, special prosecutor and former prosecutor in Dallas County;
• Jerri Sims, assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Texas and former
prosecutor in Dallas County;
• Lisa Smith, appellate prosecutor in Dallas County;
• Rhona Wedderien, trial art coordinator in Tarrant County; and
• Bill Wirskye, special prosecutor and current prosecutor in Collin County.
Collaborating as a team is something Mr. Shook appreciates (and misses). Once a longtime felony prosecutor in Dallas County—and the only two-time winner of the Lone Star Prosecutor Award—he’s been in private practice at Shook & Gunter for nearly a decade.
“What I enjoyed about the Williams case was having the team effort in the prosecution,” he says. “That’s something I miss from the DA’s office. When you’re in private practice, the most collaboration you get is with one other attorney. But in this case it was a team effort, and working with a team of professionals is satisfying and a lot of fun.”
Both Wirskye and Shook say they are especially grateful to receive this award because it comes from their peers, from people who know how much work goes into a death-penalty case and who recognize how important this particular trial was because a murderer was targeting those in the criminal justice system.
“I was surprised and humbled by it,” Shook admits.
“It’s meaningful coming from TDCAA,” Wirskye says, “because TDCAA members know how hard this type of trial is, how hard it is being gone from our families, and how important it was to the profession that we get it right.”
Submitted by Texas District and County Attorneys Association.
The Blue Ribbon News print edition is delivered free to more than 18,000 homes throughout Rockwall and Heath.
To share your good news and events, email editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.
For advertising inquiries both online and in print, call 214-342-8000 or email advertising@BlueRibbonNews.com.
Download the FREE Official Rockwall Area App for Apple iPhone or Android.
Also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Thank you for making us the area’s #1 source for positive hometown news, entertainment and events.
‘Dream Team’ of prosecutors and staff honored with Lone Star Prosecutor Award added by Editor on
View all posts by Editor →