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Gambril named ‘DA of Year’
Praised for strongly enforcing child endangerment law
Published Monday, July 6, 2009
Covington County District Attorney Greg Gambril was honored last week with the Brad Morris Memorial DA of the Year Award.
The award was presented during a meeting of the Alabama District Attorney’s Association and the Alabama District Attorney Investigators Association held in Destin. A committee of the two associations made the selection.
“I was overwhelmed when they called my name,” Gambril said Monday. “I had no idea I was going to win.”
But Gambril’s wife, Julie, did know, and she pulled off quite a coup. In addition to having their two sons, Joseph and Charlie, on hand for the presentation, she managed to get her in-laws, her parents and her sister to the presentation without her husband catching on.
“They even tricked me into dressing up for the award,” Gambril said. “The president of the association concocted an elaborate story about having to leave early and asked me to introduce the speakers. I went to the outlets and bought a nice shirt and a tie, but I drew the line at new shoes, so I was wearing flip-flops.”
The chief investigator for the DA’s office, Gary Hutcheson, and investigator Paul Adams nominated Gambril.
“One of the primary reasons the associations cited was my work in the area of chemical endangerment,” Gambril said.
Gambril was the first DA in Alabama to apply Alabama’s relatively new chemical endangerment of a child law to pregnant women who use illegal drugs and whose children test positive for illegal drugs at birth.
“The practice has spread throughout the state and most of the DAs pursue these cases now,” Gambril said.
Gambril said it was humbling and flattering to receive the award from his peers.
“They truly understand what I do for a living,” he said. “They understand about long hours and time away from your family.”
Gambril said for him, working as a prosecutor is more than a job.
“People who have been doing this as long as I have — it’s a calling,” he said. “You can’t imagine yourself doing anything else.”
Gambril was elected DA in 2004 when he ran unopposed. Since that time, he has successfully prosecuted four capital murder cases.
He joined the DA’s office in 1992 and was named chief assistant district attorney in 1994. He is serving a second term on the Alabama District Attorney’s Association executive committee, and is a member of First United Methodist Church of Andalusia.
The District Attorney of the Year Award was established in 1986 in memory of Brad Morris, who was an investigator for former Jefferson County District Attorney David Barber and was a founding member of the Alabama District Attorney Investigators Association.
Comments
Posted by jmreichert (anonymous) on July 7, 2009 at 7:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Congratulations, Greg ! We are very proud of you.
Posted by Ineedtobeheard (anonymous) on July 7, 2009 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah, congrats are in order, but just don't forget the job at hand...I guess I'm saying, don't let it go to your head...as a lot of politicians do! Remember the little people who put you where you are.
Posted by covingtoncountycitizen2008 (anonymous) on July 7, 2009 at 6:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Come on people. Am I the only one that realizes what goes on in the DA's office? If all you see is what you read in the Star News, it would seem like things run very well and we have elected someone who does the job. But on the other hand the citizens of Covington County are not seeing all of the plea bargains that happen on a daily basis. Some people that have the exact same record with the exact same charges get different sentences. Why? Some of them get jail and others get probation. Everyone should know that. You see someone walking or driving down the street that has been arrested many times for drug use and you ask that question "What is he/she doing out?" It's simple. To keep from going to trial, these criminals are offered a deal and some are gullable enough to take it without trying to get something better. Right or wrong? I think that it is wrong to give different bargains. I think it should be equal for all. Don't get me wrong, I do believe in justice but I also believe that right is right and wrong is wrong. And by the way, who prosecuted the first child endangerment case in Covington County? I don't think it was Gambril but one of the assistants he had at the time. With election coming next year I guess you need to act like a politician and make everyone believe in you.
Posted by GetAGrip (anonymous) on July 8, 2009 at 9:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have read several derrogatory comments about Greg Gambril in recent blogs, and I think it is time the bloggers hear what kind of man he truly is. One would think SOMEONE is trying to negate the good things he's doing. Greg is a man of integrity, and works very hard. He sacrifices for the citizens of this county in ways most will never know. He means what he says wen he says being a DA is a calling. I have heard him talk many times about how he feels about his job. He truly believes in what he does, and tries to make the right and fair decisions regarding the cases that come through his office, regardless of whether they are the popular decisions. He will never be able to satisfy EVERYONE, just as no politician, coach, or anyone in a position of authority will.
Credit was given in a recent article to several who helped pursue the legislation which passed forcing people to sign for the pseudoephedrine pills, but no mention was made regarding the work Greg put into it.
As for different people getting different deals, are you privy to the information which yields those pleas? If not, I suggest you get the facts so the people will REALLY know what goes on in the DA office. As for pleas and not wanting to take cases to trial, can you imagine the backlog that would happen on the courts' dockets if no cases pled? Have you considered it is the DEFENDANTS who do not want to go to trial, or the DEFENSE ATTORNEYS who simply want to pile up billable hours which the state has to pay? I'm all for getting the facts out there, but lets put forth ALL the facts, not just the ones who put a good man down for doing his job.
Yes, Mr. Gambril is up for re-election next year, and I believe he is EXACTLY the man for the job. There aren't many DA's who have won TWO prestigious awards during their FIRST term. Also, check with our neighbors in other counties and Florida--they will tell you quickly Covington County is not where you want to be caught breaking the law. I say let the record speak for itself.
Posted by covingtoncountycitizen2008 (anonymous) on August 11, 2009 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
GetAGrip, I may be privy to information and I know you are since you work under Greg (matter of fact outside his door), so I see why you would defend him. Thats your choice but at least report the truth about what happens in that office. You know as well as I do that pleas happen everyday and is not consistent on each one. To sum it up, two people get arrested for the same charge, same criminal background, same everything. But, each gets a separate deal. One goes to jail and the other gets probation. That is a bunch of BS and you know it. I am all about making criminals pay but I think this is the reason that most people are losing trust in the Judicial System. I believe it is time for a change in that office.
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