Jerry Barnes, 59, is serving his fourth term as state?s attorney in Carroll County. A Westminster native, Barnes served in the Vietnam War as a Green Beret and earned two Bronze Stars for “heroic or meritorious achievements.” He earned his bachelor?s and law degrees from the University of Baltimore.
Barnes, who specializes in drug enforcement, works in a county with a crime rate that?s among the lowest in the state, but most of its crimes are connected to drugs. When he first ran for office in 1990, he was prematurely declared the winner, then announced the loser by several hundred votes. He went on to prosecute crimes in Frederick County before returning to Carroll to be elected the state?s attorney in 1994.
Why did you decide to become an attorney?
When I got out [of the Army] I utilized the GI bill and went to the University of Baltimore [1971]. I majored in political science and history, and, of course, the law school is right there in the same building. Having a lot of friends who were in law school and classmates who wanted to go to law school, I had a keen interest in the law.
Why become a prosecutor working for the state instead of a private defense attorney?
As a junior I was in the Republican Central Committee and I met the [Carroll County] state?s attorney at that time, Tom Hickman. We formed a good relationship, and he offered me a job. So I started as a law clerk when I was still a junior in law school.
What?s your motivation?
I?ve always enjoyed serving the public in my almost 30 years. And I believe I?m on the right side of the fence. It?s been very rewarding. Never a dull moment, always something new.
Does campaigning ever take away from the job?
It?s a chance to go out into the community and talk in depth to the [voters] about your office and what you believe you?ve accomplished and what you hope to accomplish. I enjoy it … always have.
How do you deal with criticism?
One lesson I?ve learned is you?re never going to please everyone. In a position like this, when you are constantly making difficult and controversial decisions, there is always going to be a dissatisfied party or group. That?s just part of the job.
How stressful is it?
That depends on what day it is [laughs]. But I?ve gotten used to that. I?ve become adept at handling stress.
What is the toughest case you?ve won?
There are several cases that have been equally difficult. Homicide cases, home-invasion cases in some instances. I?ve tried a lot of very difficult drug-conspiracy and drug-distribution cases. Arson cases can be very difficult. They all have their challenges. I?ve never had a case yet that?s been the perfect case. All cases have very unique challenges, problems and situations you have to address.
What was your first case like?
I tried my first case when I was a senior in law school. They had a special program … but you have to have a licensed attorney with you. It was a rape case at Springfield Hospital, and I was pretty nervous. I remember they had an excellent defense attorney. I can?t exactly remember the precise outcome, but it was decent for what it was.
Any case stand out that was difficult to lose?
I tried a murder case when I was in Frederick, and the trial took almost five weeks. It was a woman who had been killed by her estranged husband ? that?s how it was charged. I think I had 115 witnesses, and it was almost a complete circumstantial-evidence-type case. The jury deliberated for almost eight days and even came in on the weekend. There was one holdout, starting from the first day. The irony is, I had considered striking that individual because of certain things in his or her background. It ended in a hung jury, but it was retried, and the individual was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.
Do you have much contact with the families of victims?
We have a victim-witness unit. Basically, in every case we provide services for the victim, and in the large cases we have constant contact with them.
If victims don?t want you to offer a plea bargain, if they want justice as they see it, do you listen to them?
We take what they have to say very, very seriously. Obviously, they are the most affected parties, and usually we are able to accomplish what they desire out of a case. And some people really would prefer not to go to court. They would like to have a plea because they don?t want to relive [the crime] again. Sometimes that can be a struggle because we have to work with them on becoming amenable to going through it again.
How much pressure do you feel to fight for grieving families?
You always have that. You?re fighting for what?s right, and you?re trying to secure some type of valid closure for a family or victims.
What makes working for Carroll County different from working for other counties?
We have less crime. And I?ve lived here all my life.
Do you ever worry that you may have convicted the wrong person?
No, because by the time we go through a case, analyze it, we would know. In one instance, six or seven years ago, there was a homicide that took place in a Westminster boarding house. That case was ready to go to trial, but after reviewing the evidence and discussing it with city and state police, we “nolle prossed” it [dismissed charges] ? a first-degree homicide ? because we just weren?t sure.
How difficult is that?
You have to do the right thing; you have to be ethical. You can?t put someone on trial for first-degree murder if you feel the case just doesn?t exist with that person.
If you weren?t an attorney, what would you be?
I can?t remember when I wasn?t an attorney. It?s been very satisfying, [but] you do form a lot of enemies over the years. When you have a job like this and you do it well ?- or as well as you can ? you tend to create enemies.
Does that worry you?
No. I just have a big dog and a big gun [laughs]. And I was a Green Beret.
