North Carolina Prosecutorial District 20-A District Attorney Michael Parker announced this week he will seek re-election in a bid to continue as the lead prosecutor for the three-county district.

“It’s been a privilege and an honor for me to serve as the prosecutor for Richmond, Anson and Stanly counties,” the Moore County native and Richmond County resident said Thursday afternoon. “I love this community, and I work really hard to be a part of it. I look forward to continuing to serve as district attorney.”

Parker received his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from N.C. State University in 1986, before receiving his Juris Doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989.

He began his career as a prosecutor in the 20th District of North Carolina the same year he graduated from UNC, and worked as an assistant district attorney trying cases in juvenile, district and superior courts over the course of the next six years.

In 1996, he was promoted to chief assistant district attorney and became responsible for all the murder cases in the district, as well as serving in a supervisory role over prosecutors in all the counties.

Finally, he was appointed district attorney in November of 2004, then chosen by the voters to continue in that capacity in 2006.

His staff includes 12 assistant district attorneys and 12 support personnel. He estimates he has tried more than 150 jury trials during his career in the courtroom.

Parker explained that should he be re-elected, he wants to keep the district attorney’s office moving in the direction it is now heading.

“My goals for the next four years, if I’m re-elected, is to continue to work with law enforcement to make the strongest cases we can, and to bring 21st Century crime-fighting technologies to the district,” Parker said. “This is all so that we can make the strongest cases possible, convict the guilty and let the innocent go home.”

Something else he is looking forward to - trying cases at the new Richmond County Judicial Center once it is completed.

“That is going to be a state-of-the-art facility, and I think it is going to be something very special for the people of Richmond County,” Parker said. “It’s been years since they had a new courthouse, and this one will have a lot of modern features.”

The features include a crime scene reconstruction suite to show jurors exactly what happened at the scene of the crime in three-dimensions.

The district attorney’s office will also employ a life-size mannequin to reconstruct shootings, showing the trajectory of the projectile and the trauma caused to the person penetrated by it.

His office has been aggressive in bringing forensic investigation techniques to district law enforcement agencies, most recently beginning the International Forensics Institute at Richmond Community College.

The Institute brings widely-recognized experts in areas such as blood spatter evidence, crime scene photography and cadaver recovery to Hamlet to instruct local officers and deputies on the subtle nuances of capturing evidence.

“We are also looking at building a victim room that is better-suited for children who are victims or who have to come to court because a family member is a victim,” Parker said. “The courtroom is a scary place for a child, but we feel that if we can put them in a room where they have furniture that is suited for them, and give them some toys to play with, we can make them feel more comfortable.”

He explained a child room has already been employed at one of the other counties in the district, and the district attorney’s office has been pleased with the results.

“Not only does it make the children feel more comfortable, but if we have a single mother who has been victimized, she is more likely to come to court knowing that there is a safe place for the child in the courthouse,” Parker said.

In a campaign mailer sent out earlier in the week, Parker cited his work cracking down on sexual predators and helping victims of domestic violence recover from the pattern of abuse.

“I have taken tough stands to protect our children, seniors and community, to serve as our voice for justice in Anson, Richmond and Stanly counties,” it reads. “I have led the fight hold criminals accountable and to ensure our criminal justice system punishes those who break our laws and cannot conform to the rules of society.”

While citing his work, however, Parker said that he is not seeking office for the sake of holding office.

“I will tell you upfront, I am not a politician. I am a career prosecutor, who goes to work everyday with one thing on my mind - making sure the regular people who hold together our community have a voice, a champion protecting them in our courts. The criminals have their attorneys - it’s my duty to serve as your attorney - enforcing and upholding the rule of law.”

No other candidate has made a public statement saying they are seeking the office.

The filing period for 2010 elections begins Feb. 8.

Staff Writer Philip D. Brown can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 32, or by e-mail at pbrown@yourdailyjournal.com.