September 17, 2018
Meet our newest Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jenna McNeal Cassady, sworn in today by Chief Fayette Circuit Judge Pamela R. Goodwine. You can see from Jenna’s expression she is excited to be here – and we are excited to have her on our team.
Jenna is a 2016 University of Kentucky College of Law graduate, with a passion for advocacy in crimes against women. Before returning to her home state of Kentucky last month, Jenna was a domestic violence prosecutor in Miami-Dade Florida.
Welcome Jenna McNeal Cassady!
From the Office of Lou Anna RedCorn
Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney
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Hello! There’s a lot that’s new this summer – new laws effecting our office, new staff, and one “old” detective.
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Here are some of the new laws approved during the General Assembly’s 2018 session that will affect public safety and victims statewide:
Gang Bill – House Bill 169 makes gang recruitment a felony rather than a misdemeanor for adults and it stiffens penalties for offenders if gang activity is shown to be a factor in their crime. It also requires gang members convicted of violent crimes to serve 85 percent of their sentences before parole is an option. The bill’s primary sponsor was Representative Robert Benvenuti, of Lexington.
Revenge Porn – House Bill 71 creates a new section of our Penal Code’s Pornography Chapter prohibiting the distribution of sexually explicit images without consent. Referred to by some as the “revenge porn” bill, because it addresses the use of sexually-explicit photos or videos to humiliate the person photographed or to turn a profit for the person posting the photos online. The distribution of these images is a misdemeanor for the first offense and a felony for subsequent offenses. Penalties would be even more severe if the images were posted for profit. The bill also allows for money damages in a civil court. An individual convicted under HB 71 is not required to register as a sex offender.
Police Body Worn Cameras – House Bill 373 Body worn camera recordings are subject to release under Open Records Laws, and this bill will exempt some footage from being publicly released based upon location and content. The following are specifically exempted in the statute: the interior of private homes and medical facilities, women’s shelters and jails, or if the recording shows a dead body, evidence of sexual assault, nudity or children protected under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
Video recordings from dashboard mounted cameras or recording devices used in the course of clandestine investigations are not included under this new statute. For more information about Lexington Police Department Body Worn Cameras visit Lexington Police Department Body Worn Cameras.
Marsy’s Law will give crime victims true rights in the criminal justice system and will be on the November ballot as a constitutional amendment. While Kentucky already has a statute that provides rights to crime victims, Marsy’s Law will ensure that Kentucky crime victims have constitutional-level rights and protections similar to those given to the accused. For more information about Marsy’s Law visit Marsy’s Law for Kentucky, and then vote YES on November 6th.
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Meet Our New Director of Victim’s Services
Brittany Scordo and Her Team of Advocates
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Crime Victim Advocates left to right: Megan Vanover, Erica Bybee, Kathy High,
Director Brittany Scordo, Jo Johnson, Blerina Gojani.
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There have been some exciting changes recently in our Victim’s Services Program! Brittany Scordo is ournew Director. Brittany is from Paducah, Kentucky, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Spanish from Murray State University, along with a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Louisville. As a former high school Spanish/English teacher with Teach for America in the Mississippi Delta, Brittany brings great skills. She currently specializes in adult sexual assault and domestic violence cases.
Along with this exciting change, Jo Johnson and Erica Bybee also joined our team as Crime Victim Advocates. Jo Johnson is from Sandusky, Ohio. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis on Health Care. Jo was an investigative social worker with Children Services in Huron County, Ohio where she also trained various professionals on recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect. Jo specializes in crimes against children.
Erica Bybee is a Lexington, KY native. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Family Sciences, along with a Master’s of Social Work with a concentration in Community and Social Development from the University of Kentucky. Prior to joining the Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Erica was an Americorps member as the Economic Empowerment Specialist for The Nest, Center for Women, Children and Families, while completing her Master’s degree. As a Victim Advocate, Erica specializes in domestic violence cases.
Our team helped create the video From Victim to Survivor for the Fayette County Crime Victim’s Rights Luncheon in April. The video includes powerful reflections by crime victims. You can view on the linkabove or by visiting our Facebook Page.
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2018 Marks 40 years of service from Mike Malone
to the Citizens of Fayette County
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Commonwealth’s Detective Mike Malone reflects on 40 years of service in an article written by our University of Kentucky Summer Undergraduate Intern Sydney Banks. Earlier this summer we celebrated Mike at an office picnic, complete with fan (above). Read more about Mike’s career.
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Lou Anna RedCorn
Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney
116 N Upper Street, Lexington, KY 40507
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July 2, 2018
Meet our newest Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney – Andrew Wilhoite. Andrew was sworn-in this morning by Chief Circuit Judge Pamela Goodwine. Andrew has spent the last year in Kenton County as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney. He is a 2016 graduate of Chase College of Law and the 2010 graduate of Morehead State University, where he played Varsity Football. Andrew is a competitive power lifter and an avid Kentucky athletics fan (like the rest of this office!)
Welcome Andrew.
June 19, 2018
The Lexington Police Awards Banquet is one of the best evenings of the year because it gives us the opportunity to publicly thank and honor those who serve and protect the citizens of Fayette County. Our office presented a special recognition to 2 outstanding officers for their work on felony cases in Fayette County – Lt. David Richardson and Det. Franz Wolff. Thank you Lt. Richardson and Det. Wolff for all that you do for public safety in Lexington.
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Erik Young is a native of Lexington, Kentucky. He graduated from the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a Management major. He is a veteran of the United States Army Military Police Corps, serving in San Antonio, Texas and Vicenza, Italy. Erik has a background in sales, professional
photography and as a Series 7 stockbroker with an interest in option markets. Erik serves as Online Editor for the Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture and Natural Resources Law.
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Hello! My name is Anne Spalding and I am a rising 3L at the University of Kentucky College of Law. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Kentucky in 2016, graduating Summa Cum Laude. I am originally from Lebanon Kentucky but have spent the past 6 years living in Lexington while attending the University of Kentucky. After law school I hope to practice criminal law in some capacity. If I’m not working or studying, you will probably find me running (I just completed my 4th half marathon), spending time with family and friends, traveling, or cozied up with a good book.
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My name is Sydney Banks and I am from Washington, DC and attend the University of Kentucky. I major in English with a minor in Criminology on pursuit to become a lawyer. Additionally, I am a Board Director for the Student Activities Board, a member of the National Honor Society, and a new member of the Speech and Debate team. During my free time, I enjoy reading books by Zora Neale Hurston, listening to 90s music, and collecting bottle caps.
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My name is Jeff Buckles. I was born and raised in Lexington, Ky. After graduating from Lexington Catholic High School, I enlisted in the Navy. I served as a Corpsman (Medic) in Navy hospitals, and eventually served with a Marine Corps infantry battalion. While I was serving with the USMC battalion, I deployed to the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. After being honorably discharged, I attended U.K. College of Agriculture, and graduated with a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science. I worked for the Post Office as a mail carrier for a little over a year before attending U.K. College of Law. I will be a 2L this coming school year. Professionally, I am interested in criminal law, litigation, family law, and I am fascinated with procedure. My other interests include: weight lifting, swimming, traveling, hiking, the Green Bay Packers, trivia, and podcasts. My goals for this summer are to learn from seasoned prosecutors, improve my legal writing and research, and to get legal exposer outside of the classroom.
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Hi, my name is Olivia Senter from Madisonville, KY, which is located in the western part of the state. I graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Strategic Communication (Public Relations) in 2016. I’m now a third-year law student at the University of Kentucky College of Law with the goal of becoming a criminal prosecutor. I love my dogs, watching sports, going to concerts, visiting new places, and I still like reading for fun. Go Cats!
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Michael Stacy was born in Paducah, Kentucky and went to undergraduate school at the University of Kentucky, majoring in History with a special focus on Classical Antiquity. I am currently attending the University of Kentucky’s School of Law. I’ve always been very interested in prosecution, as my parents are both prosecutors back in Western Kentucky, and want to pursue it as a career after finishing law school.
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Ellen Findley is a native of the Lexington area and a rising third-year law student at Penn State University, where she works as a clinical student at the Center for Immigrants’ Rights and as an Articles Editor for the Journal of Law & International Affairs. She graduated summa cum laude from Lipscomb University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. When she is not studying, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with her dogs.
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My name is Carlin C. Conway, I am a third-year law student at the University of Kentucky College of Law. I was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, where I attended Bryan Station High School. In undergrad, I studied Criminal Justice at Eastern Kentucky University. When I am not studying and preparing for class, I like to spend my free time hanging out with my friends and family. I also enjoying hiking, fishing, and traveling. After graduating law school, I hope to be practicing criminal law in Lexington.
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Jonathan Sedlaczek grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, but realized the error of his ways and left his hometown for Lexington after he graduated from high school. Jonathan graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2013 with bachelor’s degrees in history, political science, and psychology. After graduation, he left Kentucky to attend graduate school at Auburn University where he spent the next four years as a doctoral student in history. Jonathan’s experience in academia made him realize that what he really wanted to do was use his education to help society more directly and with that goal in mind he enrolled in the UK College of Law in 2017. He is now a rising 2L and lives with his veterinarian wife and their three cats and dreams of one day wearing clothes not covered in fur.
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Mason Hill is a Central Kentucky native who comes to the Fayette County Commonwealth Attorney’s office after completing his first year at University of Michigan’s Law School. At the University of Michigan, he is an associate editor of the “reflaw.org” (an online refugee law forum) and has been a student attorney in the Unemployment Insurance Law Clinic. Prior to law school he lived in Washington, D.C. where he graduated from Georgetown University. In his spare time Mason enjoys spending time with his family, walking his 16 year old Shetland Sheepdog, and running.
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