New assistant DA a zealous voice for victims
Kelley Crisp is the first woman in Bowie County to serve as first assistant
“We represent the citizens of this county who are victims of criminal offenses, and the gravity of what we do here every single day is not lost on me . ... They are looking to our office for justice for the wrongs they have endured.” —First Assistant DA Kelley Crisp
For the first time, Bowie County’s first assistant district attorney position is being held by a woman.
Kelley Crisp, who has served as an assistant district attorney since November 2010, was promoted to the job following the Dec. 31 retirement of Michael Shepherd, a career prosecutor who served Bowie County for 31 years. Bowie County’s elected District Attorney Jerry Rochelle said Crisp is the right choice.
“I have the utmost faith in both her dedication and ability to represent the citizens of Bowie County as first assistant. I’m sure there will be some mention of her being the first female appointed this position, however, I don’t see gender. All I see is an extremely qualified prosecutor,” Rochelle said.
Crisp managed to finish law school in December 2006 at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville by taking summer classes. She worked in a private civil law practice for several years before joining the DA’s office. Crisp said she is honored by the trust Rochelle has shown through her appointment.
“The Bowie County District Attorney’s Office has several talented female prosecutors who are doing a fantastic job representing the citizens of this county. I feel honored and blessed that Mr. Rochelle asked me to take a leadership position in
the office,” Crisp said. “As the first assistant district attorney, I hope to continue to make the citizens of this county proud and seek justice for victims. My goal for the past eight years has been to aggressively prosecute violent criminals, especially repeat offenders.”
Crisp said she is fortunate to have worked with and learned from experienced trial lawyers like James Elliott, a now-retired career prosecutor who served as a first assistant to former District Attorney Bobby Lockhart before Lockhart became a district judge.
Crisp has overseen the prosecution of numerous felony cases, including many involving the sexual exploitation and abuse of women and children. Crisp has managed numerous murder cases, which ended with life sentences for the accused.
In November 2017, Crisp led the prosecution of a Texas prison inmate who violently beat a Barry Telford Unit correctional officer to death without provocation. That inmate, Billy Joel Tracy, is now on Texas’ death row.
“We represent the citizens of this county who are victims of criminal offenses, and the gravity of what we do here every single day is not lost on me. Many times, the day those victims and their families meet me is one of the worst days of their lives. They are looking to our office for justice for the wrongs they have endured,” she said. “I have prosecuted about 100 jury trials in this county, and the citizens who report for jury duty continue to make it clear to our local justice system, particularly to criminal defendants, that this county is for law and order. I have always tried to do the best job I can to make those victims and our citizens proud.”
Rochelle said Crisp’s passion for her work and her personal investment in the community make her an asset.
“I have no doubt she will continue to zealously act as a voice for the victims as well as do everything within her power to ensure the safety of our community,” he said. “It is, after all, her home as well.”