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November 13, 2009

DA pick has earned stripes | Veteran prosecutor Callihan is wise choice

Anonymous The Tribune-Democrat Fri Nov 13, 2009, 02:53 PM EST

Even before the decision was announced last week, veteran attorneys within Cambria County’s law community, as well as other longtime courthouse observers, were predicting – correctly as it turned out – the choice for the county’s new district attorney.

Kelly Callihan was named Thursday by District Attorney Patrick Kiniry to be his first assistant, putting her in line to become DA in January when Kiniry moves on to the bench.

The 41-year-old Callihan has earned her stripes. She is a veteran prosecutor with an outstanding resume. Many understandably were seeing her as the logical choice.

Kiniry said Callihan was his pick based on her qualifications, including courtroom experience handling violent crimes and murder cases. He also pointed to her organizational skills and said she had the “right temperament and demeanor” to handle the job.

We also know she has spent years working with young people, including initiating an alcohol-awareness program, and she currently serves on the Westmont Hilltop school board.

She is a mother of two and her husband, Derrick, is a teacher in the Greater Johnstown School District.

“During my tenure, I have handled every type of criminal case, from traffic citations to murder cases and everything in between,” Callihan said.

“I have prosecuted thousands of cases, including 27 homicide and attempted-homicide cases.”

She has prosecuted some of the county’s highest-profile cases, including:

* Frederick Phillips, in the choking death of his Upper Yoder Township mother.

* Nathan Fortson, in the abduction and murder of a Cambria Township widow.

* Joseph Paul Franklin, a serial killer who shot and killed a mixed race couple in Johnstown.

“I will continue to be tough on violent crime, especially when victims are young or old, and I will make it a priority to to take drug dealers off our streets,” Callihan vowed during a press conference.

We expect as much.

She will oversee a staff of 35, including three full-time and eight part-time assistant DAs.

It also has been pointed out that Callihan will become the county’s first woman district attorney.

Certainly a nice sidebar to her appointment, but we are more impressed with her qualifications, and we believe that to be the case with Kiniry also.

We are convinced that Callihan is being rewarded for the hard work and prosecuting abilities she has demonstrated.

Period.

She was appointed the county’s first full-time assistant district attorney in 1996.

Callihan obviously has big shoes to fill. As district attorney, Kiniry has served the county well, not only as an investigator and prosecutor, but in building a strong working relationship with the law-enforcement community and in instituting educational programs in our schools.

His work ethic paid off as evidenced by his being the top vote-getter in this month’s judgeship election.

Congratulations to Callihan. We wish her every success.

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