ABINGDON, Va. – With newly elected Washington County Commonwealth’s Attorney Nicole Price comes an almost completely new staff of prosecutors.
Of the five prosecutors who worked in the office under her predecessor, longtime Commonwealth’s Attorney Dennis Godfrey, a Democrat, only Marianne Woolf is staying on to work under Price, the Republican who beat him in November’s election.
Price has hired three new prosecutors and left one of the positions vacant, a decision she said was made to free up money for needed technological improvements and to cope with an uncertain budgetary environment.
She also hired a mixture of five new and previous administrative employees, leaving one part-time position unfilled.
Her new prosecutors are Loretto Doyle, who is moving from a job as prosecutor in Bristol; Gay Leonard, who has worked as a Russell County prosecutor in the past; and Jennifer Brickey, who has experience prosecuting domestic and juvenile cases.
“I hired the three attorney applicants … with the most prosecutorial experience,” said Price, who added that Doyle, Leonard and Woolf each have more than five years’ experience.
While Brickey has less experience, she said, she has unique experience that will serve the office well in Washington County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
Price said two of the previous prosecutors chose to move on rather than apply to work in her office.
She said she will introduce the concept of “vertical prosecution,” a system in which the attorney prosecuting a case begins in the lower court and then follows that case if it moves to circuit court.
“We think we’re going to realize efficiencies and quality of work because we’re not going to be switching horses in the middle of the ride,” she said. “I feel that this is going to be an improvement.”
She said efficiencies gained through new technology will help her office manage with one fewer prosecutor, even with a full docket and several high-profile cases that are coming up in this year’s first term of court.
“I don’t think the county is in a position to increase dollars coming into this office,” said Price, who left her seat on the Washington County Board of Supervisors to take the job.
“I felt committed to not ask for additional dollars, and so if that means that for now I’m going to have to do without to try to pay for the things that I’m responsible for, then that’s what I’m gong to have to do even though it’s going to be difficult.”
She’s asked judges, attorneys and police officers for patience and understanding with the turnover of staff, and said “so far I’ve gotten that.”
She dismisses any claims that the high turnover is the result of political differences.
“I’ve hired people who were very outwardly supportive of Mr. Godfrey; I’ve hired people who were outwardly supportive of me,” Price said. “I’ve hired people not on that basis but on their capabilities, their desire to work together, their desire to work with me and really work as a team.”
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