Prevail, Inc., an organization founded to serve victims of crime and abuse, has recognized Hamilton County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney David McPherson for his service to the community and victims and hails him as Prevail's Hero of the Month.
Deputy Prosecutor McPherson serves the Hamilton County community through his assignment to the domestic violence and battery docket. He has held this position in Hamilton Superior Court No. 3 since January 1, 2015, and has made great strides in developing a team atmosphere centered on the victim's involvement in his cases. Deputy Prosecutor McPherson works closely with his legal secretary, Lynn Bauer, and Prevail's Victim Notification Program Advocate, Leah Wills.
"Dave took the lead to implement changes in how he approached his new cases. He saw the need and benefit for bringing a unified approach to working with victims to facilitate communication, support the victim, and see the case through to its conclusion. By including [legal secretary] Lynn and [Prevail's] Leah in on initial meetings, victims have felt more comfortable with the criminal justice system and with seeking out the services available within the community," says Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Andre Miksha. Deputy Prosecutor McPherson explains that his role in this process is to hold the defendant accountable. Dave's delivery of information to a victim of domestic violence is nonjudgmental and remains focused on the victim's safety and health. He is a huge advocate of Prevail, and routinely directs victims to Prevail's services. He constantly seeks ways to improve his interactions and approach when working with victims of crime and abuse.
As in all areas of criminal law but perhaps most notably in the area of domestic violence, a deputy prosecutor's perspective of the criminal case might not always align with that of the victim, but Deputy Prosecutor McPherson is always concerned for the victim's thoughts and feelings and takes those into consideration while prosecuting the case on behalf of the State.
Accordingly, Prevail, Inc. recognized Deputy Prosecutor McPherson as its Hero of the Month for October 2016. October is a special month because it is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. "We are especially proud of Dave and his legal secretary Lynn as they work to make our county and each of its households a safer place," added Miksha.