From Harford County State’s Attorney Joe Cassilly:
Dear Harford County residents and citizens of Maryland,
It is with mixed feelings that I announce that I will retire from the position of State’s Attorney for Harford County effective 1 January 2017. I have deeply appreciated the experiences and opportunities that being a prosecutor for more than 39 years has afforded me. The trust of my fellow citizens in each election has inspired me to want look for policies, programs and actions which would make our county a place of safety for all in our homes, communities and on our roads.
My success has been chiefly due to the dedicated prosecutors and employees of the State’s Attorney’s Office and the detectives and police officers I worked with. I thank Judge Edwin Harlan who started me in 1975 as a summer law intern in the State’s Attorney’s office and let me comeback the next summer to try cases as a law student, which convinced me I wanted to make prosecution my life’s work.
I thank the patient prosecutors like Jerry Comen who answered hundreds of questions and taught me to try some of the most incredible cases. The Harford County State’s Attorney was the first to have sobriety checkpoints and use DNA in Maryland courts. My first priority after I was elected was to put together the best domestic violence unit, so I hired Tracey Stamper away from SARC. Because of dedicated prosecutors like Jay Robinson we started one of the first Child Advocacy Centers in Maryland which with the domestic violence unit became the first Family Justice Center in the State. I helped start the Task Force, the best drug and vice unit in the State, in fact in my not so humble opinion we have the best police and prosecutors in the State. We have brought computer systems to the office.
The Family Support unit, which has been staffed by Beverly Greene for 40 years and other caring people, has always been a source of pride doing an outstanding job for our County’s families and being a novel crime prevention program. I have to say one of my proudest moments was being chosen by my fellow prosecutors to be president of the Maryland State’s Attorneys Association and later the National District Attorneys Association. I would like to recognize the encouragement of Baltimore County State’s Attorney Sandy O’Connor.
But this beautiful county that I was raised in and raised children and grandchildren in also surrounds me with images of the victims of violent crimes. I remember as I drive through Joppa, Marcianna Ringo, 8 year old, abducted and stabbed. Edgewood, Bonnie Sue Joseph, abducted and stabbed. Near Aberdeen, Dena Polis raped and strangled. Havre de Grace, Ofc. Robert Pyle, murdered and 3 other police shot. Near Bel Air, Casey Berry, 57 days old when she finally died from multiple instances of abuse. North Harford, Jessica Morgan, 6 year old, terrified and shot, and dozens of others whose deaths will not leave my memory. It is time for me to leave.
The Circuit Court judges will chose my successor, I wish that person well and God bless our county, State and country.
Joseph Cassilly
“It is time for me to leave.”
Mr Cassilly,
First, thank you for your years of service.
Second, it is far beyond what should have been your time to leave. Many years ago when you decided to make your Office political instead of one that pursues justice in a fair and impartial manner it was time for you to leave.
Good luck to you in the future.
Prosecuting a deputy sheriff wasn’t one of your best decisions, no wonder you were the lowest paid states attorney in any county in Maryland. You ruined a deputy’s life and it ended up costing the tax payers more as a drunk driver got rewarded by breaking the law.
Your choices were political and did not meet any type of fair and just prosecution, perhaps you’re angry about many things and you rather take it out on others. Good Riddance! Don’t let your ass hit the door on the way out.
Are you talking about this? http://www.daggerpress.com/2014/04/01/harford-sheriffs-deputy-pleads-guilty-to-reckless-endangerment-in-2013-shooting-incident/
It says he plead “guilty.” If you are insinuating he was innocent as the basis of your reply, why did he plead guilty?
Pleaded to a lesser charge than prosecution wanted to charge. Deputy followed training and procedures. Cassilly had a known bone to pick and found a victim to hang. Gut is mad because he can’t walk I guess.
Why would anyone plead guilty if they were innocent?
Please, enlighten me.
Evidently the firearm was discharged in a manner that didn’t agree with our state law.
Guilty pleas are common even among innocent defendants. Innocent defendants are usually threatened with greater jail time, threats from police, threats from the prosecution, threats against their families and loved ones, extortion of seized funds or professional licenses and a full multitude of coercions from malicious prosecutors.
We will be better off without you. Bye bye.
As a survivor.of domestic violence (my then-husband attacked me with a splitting maul) you and your office literally saved my life and the lives of my children. Tracy Stamper was my lifeline during that time, along with others in your office. Thank you for implementing a program for anyone who is inflicted with domestic violence, but especially for all your years of service. Godspeed!
Asshole
Joe,
Good. Get out. If there was any doubt, the Anthony Graber case proved you were unfit for office. Glad to see you gone.
Awlsome! We finally get rid of this over rated under washed stinker. Now if only ” smells ” like judges, and i use the word loosly, cooper and carr would step down and give us all room to breathe maybe true justice would be a reality in harford co maryland.
I didn’t know he ruined a pigs career. Maybe he wasn’t such a piece of shit after all?
Joe you did a great job. Sometimes some one has to be the bad guy.
Great respect for all your years served. Thank you Joe