UNITED STATES ATTORNEY ALICE H. MARTIN NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA
	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			CONTACT: KAREN NARAMORE
	JUNE 19, 2009			PHONE: (205) 244-2001
	www.usdoj.gov/usao/aln			FAX: (205) 244-2171

MARTIN SAYS FAREWELL TO OFFICE SHE LED SINCE 2001

VETERAN PROSECUTOR JOYCE VANCE NAMED INTERIM U.S. ATTORNEY

BIRMINGHAM, AL - With her resignation effective at 11:59 p.m. today, U. S. Attorney Alice H. Martin gave her final farewells to staff this afternoon.  Joyce Vance, a veteran federal prosecutor and Martin’s Appellate Chief, was approved by Attorney General Eric Holder to become the Interim U. S. Attorney upon Martin’s departure.  She was sworn in this afternoon and her appointment will become effective at midnight.

            Martin became the U. S. Attorney in September of 2001 and is one of the longest serving U. S. Attorney’s in the districts’ history.

            “Theodore Roosevelt said ‘Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing’, and I have had that pleasure and privilege for almost eight years.  It has been an enormous honor to have worked with the outstanding men and woman of this office to serve the citizens of Northern Alabama.” said U. S. Attorney Alice H. Martin. 

            During her tenure Martin served on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee from 2006-2008, and spearheaded the effort to receive funding which created the new Justice Center for Excellence which will provide leadership training for newly appointed U. S. Attorneys.  During her tenure she established Leadership Academy, a university certified leadership program offered to the U. S. Attorney’s Office employees and local law enforcement.  More than 80 individuals received university certification in leadership and communication over the past three years.

            The allocation of prosecutors assigned to the district from Washington grew from 32 to 50 under her leadership.  “With increased manpower we continued to prosecute the important violent crime associated with narcotics and firearms, but we were able to extend our reach in the white collar area..  We led the nation in corporate fraud prosecutions in 2004 and were first in the country to prosecute under Sarbanes-Oxley.  We brought attention to the unchecked public corruption in the district and rose to #3 out of 94 districts last year in the number of public corruption cases pursued.  We incarcerated more than 306 child predators and 1,250 felons with firearms. Our community is safer” said Martin

            She expressed a debt of gratitude and thanks to her staff of men and women for serving with quiet dignity, determination and a commitment to public service.  Martin has hired more than 50% of the personnel of the office and challenged them to continue their pursuit of truth and justice. 

            Officially, Vance will carry the title of Interim U. S. Attorney as she awaits Senate confirmation following her nomination by the President to serve as the next United States Attorney for Northern Alabama.