by Kate Shunney
In an effort to move criminal cases through the courts more quickly and save on the county’s jail bill, the Morgan County Commission voted to hire a part-time investigator for the Prosecuting Attorney’s office. The position will be paid for out of proceeds from West Virginia’s opioid litigation settlement funds, said county officials.
Prosecutor Dan James requested the help in his office, saying “quite a few counties have investigators” that can add to the work done by law enforcement agencies in criminal cases.
James said earlier this month he would be offering the position to Captain Tim Stapleton, who is the lead investigator for the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department. Stapleton will be retiring from full-time police work “very shortly,” James said.
“He’s hands-down one of the best investigators I’ve worked with. He’s well-liked, does a good job and takes on cases that are difficult,” said James.
Citing a shortage of manpower in local police agencies, James said his office is “in constant need of further information and follow-up for cases” to move them through the court system more quickly. That can include getting forensic information for cell phones or digital devices, securing test results or gathering more information from people related to the case.
Commissioners acknowledged that the county’s jail bill has been higher in recent months. That can be tied, in part, to the cost of keeping an accused person in the regional jail while their case awaits trial or resolution.
“I’m really concerned with what I’m seeing with the jail bill,” said James.
James said having an investigator could allow him to move ahead with “Information” cases rather than waiting for a case to be heard in one of the three grand jury terms each year.
“There’s a need for it – there’s an absolute need for it,” James told commissioners.
He said Stapleton would work 16-19 hours per week at a rate of $25 per hour. Sheriff-elect Johnnie Walter has offered space for Stapleton to work in the Sheriff’s Office.
Commissioner Bill Clark said he supported the idea.
“I feel like we need to take advantage of this scenario,” Clark said.
Commission President Sean Forney asked if the county could pay for the investigator position out of opioid settlement funds.
The county paid for a second assistant prosecutor out of that pool of money which came from proceeds from a statewide lawsuit settlement with opioid drug distributors.
Commissioners voted 3-0 to approve the part-time position and hire of Stapleton to fill it, starting around the first of the year.
