Attorney General Recognizes Tyler Federal Prosecutor
Posted/updated on: September 12, 2014 at 5:12 pm
WASHINGTON Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Traci L. Kenner of the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Eastern District of Texas was one of 243 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Attorney General Eric Holder and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director Monty Wilkinson. According to a news release from the Eastern District, the recognition came at the 30th annual Directors Awards Ceremony Wednesday in Washington D.C. The Eastern District was one of 44 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In his prepared remarks to awardees, Attorney General Holder said, Locally, nationally, and internationally, you represent the very best that this Department has to offer. Your work embodies our ongoing commitment not merely to win cases, but to do justice; to protect our fellow citizens from crime, violence, and terrorism; to empower the most vulnerable among us; and to uphold the rule of law.
EOUSA Director Monty Wilkinson echoed those sentiments, saying to the recipients, You have persevered, and remained focused and motivated achieving remarkable results in work that makes a difference in the lives of citizens across our great country. The vast scope of your collective accomplishments is nothing short of exceptional.
Kenner, of the Tyler office, was recognized for her outstanding performance as an Appellate AUSA and the Eastern District of Texass Appellate Chief. During her tenure, AUSA Kenner has made significant improvements to the district appellate program, according to the news release. In particular, officials say, Kenners exemplary handling of the appeal of United States v. Ebron preserved a conviction and death sentence in a case with unusual appellate issues that could have — but for AUSA Kenner — resulted in a reversal and retrial. Instead, the final outcome was an affirmance in the Court of Appeals and denial of certiorari by the United States Supreme Court. The case involved a capital murder trial originating in a Bureau of Prisons facility in the Eastern District of Texas.
For many years, Traci has honed her professional skills to become one of the most skilled appellate lawyers in the entire Department of Justice, said U.S. Attorney John M. Bales. In the Eastern District of Texas, she handles our most complicated appeals, including the death penalty cases for which she has been so deservedly recognized. We are a much better office because of Tracis work and I am pleased that she has been afforded this honor it is certainly deserved.
