District Attorney Cody Womp

I think that that's what this job is. This office, any prosecutor's office, should be victim-focused or why are we all here? And certainly crimes matter that don't have victims. You can argue that there's a lot of crimes that do have victims that we don't necessarily categorize like that, but... We should all prioritize crimes with victims as prosecutors.

I think that that's what this job is. This office, any prosecutor's office, should be victim-focused or why are we all here? And certainly crimes matter that don't have victims. You can argue that there's a lot of crimes that do have victims that we don't necessarily categorize like that, but... We should all prioritize crimes with victims as prosecutors.

And that's what my message is to this office all the time. We have to make sure we're taking care of this community, not just public safety, but taking care of people in this community. And so in these cases, when you... prepare for a trial like this one or any trials that we have where we spend years preparing, you really get to know the victim well.

And that's what my message is to this office all the time. We have to make sure we're taking care of this community, not just public safety, but taking care of people in this community. And so in these cases, when you... prepare for a trial like this one or any trials that we have where we spend years preparing, you really get to know the victim well.

And so by the time you get to trial, you know their family, you know what they were like when they were 15 years old, you've heard all the stories, you really get a sense for better or for worse. Sometimes you learn bad things, you know, but you get to know them. And so by the time you get to trial, it really is like, for me, personal. You know this person. You know their family.

And so by the time you get to trial, you know their family, you know what they were like when they were 15 years old, you've heard all the stories, you really get a sense for better or for worse. Sometimes you learn bad things, you know, but you get to know them. And so by the time you get to trial, it really is like, for me, personal. You know this person. You know their family.

They're in your office. You've seen them struggle throughout the last two years since their daughter died. You've seen the ups and the downs to a certain extent. And so it is personal. By the time you get to trial, in my opinion, all you really want to do is fight for them. Because you've been through this process, seeing it from their point of view. And so it is.

They're in your office. You've seen them struggle throughout the last two years since their daughter died. You've seen the ups and the downs to a certain extent. And so it is personal. By the time you get to trial, in my opinion, all you really want to do is fight for them. Because you've been through this process, seeing it from their point of view. And so it is.

It's hard to not make it too personal. For me, I have to remind myself to just take a step back sometimes because it It can affect you and it will affect you if you let it. But to a certain extent, I think that's a good thing. I hope that I always feel that way. And if I don't care like I do now, I hope that I'll leave this job and do something else.

It's hard to not make it too personal. For me, I have to remind myself to just take a step back sometimes because it It can affect you and it will affect you if you let it. But to a certain extent, I think that's a good thing. I hope that I always feel that way. And if I don't care like I do now, I hope that I'll leave this job and do something else.

Any cases involving children, the rape of a child case that I tried in Bradley County was one of my first big trials. And being able to get a victory for a child like that, who afterwards will say, I didn't think anybody was going to believe me. Because kids don't come forward often because they don't think anybody's going to believe them. Um, and they're scared.

Any cases involving children, the rape of a child case that I tried in Bradley County was one of my first big trials. And being able to get a victory for a child like that, who afterwards will say, I didn't think anybody was going to believe me. Because kids don't come forward often because they don't think anybody's going to believe them. Um, and they're scared.

And so to, to have a victory for a child where the system believed them and protected them, like we're supposed to, it makes you feel like this is not just a profession. It's a passion. It is, you know, it's for me, it's sort of who I am. Um, but any, any case with the children, um, but a case like this with a, with a victim who

And so to, to have a victory for a child where the system believed them and protected them, like we're supposed to, it makes you feel like this is not just a profession. It's a passion. It is, you know, it's for me, it's sort of who I am. Um, but any, any case with the children, um, but a case like this with a, with a victim who

really was just 1000% innocent in all of this and did not deserve to die and was not involved in any type of criminal activity. And, you know, this was just so random and did not have to happen that it makes it a real privilege to be able to to fight for her. But any of these trials, and most of the trials I've tried have to do with victims.

really was just 1000% innocent in all of this and did not deserve to die and was not involved in any type of criminal activity. And, you know, this was just so random and did not have to happen that it makes it a real privilege to be able to to fight for her. But any of these trials, and most of the trials I've tried have to do with victims.

Most of the cases that my office tries have to do with victims. We try drug cases here and there. We've tried a theft in the last year, but for the most part, we focus on victims and that means that we take these cases to trial.

Most of the cases that my office tries have to do with victims. We try drug cases here and there. We've tried a theft in the last year, but for the most part, we focus on victims and that means that we take these cases to trial.

I hope that the closing argument resonated with people across the country. First of all, I think that there's more victims of crime across the nation and across our state than people realize, until it happens to you.

I hope that the closing argument resonated with people across the country. First of all, I think that there's more victims of crime across the nation and across our state than people realize, until it happens to you.