Deputy prosecuting attorney for 20th Judicial District fired

By Debra Hale-Shelton

Posted: July 30, 2009 at 5:25 a.m.

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CONWAY — Prosecuting Attorney Marcus Vaden has fired a longtime deputy prosecutor who is married to the Faulkner County sheriff.

Contacted Wednesday, Vaden said Angela Byrd was "let go" on Tuesday as was Wendy Denton, a legal assistant.

Byrd, who handled drug-court cases and helped prosecute other criminal cases, including some capital-murder cases, has been a deputy in the 20th Judicial District since August 2000 1 and previously worked about 2/2 years in Lonoke County. She is the wife of Sheriff Karl Byrd.

Vaden declined to give details other than to say the two women no longer were employed by his office. He said he planned to hire replacements.

"We've got a lot of good people, a lot of trained staff," Vaden said. "I don't anticipate anything slowing down. This is not thefirst change in the office we've had."

Angela Byrd declined comment on the situation as did her husband.

Angela Byrd had worked with the drug court in Faulkner County since its inception about five years ago this November.

Circuit Judge Charles E. Clawson Jr., who presides over that court, said Wednesday that Byrd had done "an excellent job in drug court" and he "appreciated her efforts and the time she put into it and her devotion to the program." But he said, "We're going to continue to move forward."

"Whoever comes on board may need a little time to learn the cases and the people," Clawson said, because "in drug court, the prosecuting attorney is the gate keeper. They decide who comes in. ... Their decision is final. ... But I think we've got enough experienced people there" to keep things going.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 12 on 07/30/2009

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