When Marna McLendon is sworn in as Howard County state's attorney in January, she will inherit an office that may require vast changes to carry it into the next century.
But that's not to say the state's attorney's office hasn't come a long way from the days when it had seven prosecutors who worked out of a small, decrepit house across from the Circuit Courthouse in Ellicott City.
Under William Hymes -- who did not seek re-election after 16 years -- the office has been transformed from a small-time outfit into a modern-day operation with prosecutors who handle complex criminal cases.
But some attorneys say the 67-year-old Mr. Hymes has not done enough to advance the state's attorney's office. The office needs an injection of fresh blood and new ideas to overcome complacency that has cloaked its staff in recent years, critics say.
"I think it's been [stagnant]," Ms. McLendon said. "Things have been the same way for a long time. . . . There is no doubt in my mind that there will be a new day."
But Mr. Hymes said spending restraints often limited what programs he could establish, preventing him from having what he calls the "perfect office."
"I am very pleased with what we were able to accomplish over the years," said Mr. Hymes, who is considering jobs with several law firms. "It's not perfect. There are many things that could be changed."
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Even Mr. Hymes' critics credit him for modernizing the office.
"In the 16 years, he's had to move the office from a unit that was quite small to a modern-day office," said Ms. McLendon, who lost her bid to unseat Mr. Hymes in 1986.
In 1978, Howard was emerging as an affluent, suburban community, with about half its current population of 212,000. But the state's attorney's office wasn't keeping pace.
"The county was growing up all around us," said Deputy State's Attorney Dwight Thompson, who joined the office as a prosecutor in 1973 and will retire in January. "Everything was moving forward, but the state's attorney's office was a step behind."
The office was in the Weir Building, a structure that was condemned three times before the staff was relocated to the courthouse in 1989.
In the old building, some of the prosecutors had to share telephones and use card tables as desks. The facility didn't have a computer until 1983.
Ms. McLendon, an assistant prosecutor between 1980 and 1984, recalled bringing in paint and contact paper to spruce up the building.
When Mr. Hymes took office, he initiated an agenda of change to advance the office. Fifty-five people -- including 24 prosecutors -- now work at the office. They work full time, instead of part time. They have specific duties, instead of piecemeal assignments.
Mr. Hymes expanded the office's child-support division. He established units aimed at prosecuting juvenile crime, child abuse and drug offenses.
He hired coordinators to assist crime victims.
Another of Mr. Hymes' accomplishments is the complete computerization of the office's records -- all of which had been kept on index cards.
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But some lawyers fault Mr. Hymes for allowing the office to stagnate.
"I think he's lost interest in it," said David Thomas, an Ellicott City attorney and former prosecutor.
Mr. Hymes acknowledged that some things could be better, such as a computer system linking the office with other courthouse offices. But he dismissed the idea that his office hasn't progressed, citing the array of cases his staff must handle and the regular turnover of prosecutors.
Some private lawyers agreed with Mr. Hymes, saying many prosecutors are aggressive advocates who doggedly pursue their cases.
"Maybe it seemed Bill did so much at first because there [were] so many things to do," said Howard County public defender Carol Hanson. "Maybe he did reach a plateau of sorts. But I think he did everything you could expect him to do."
Michael Weal, chief of the Howard District Court division of the state's attorney's office, said he's looking forward to the changes that Ms. McLendon will bring.
"I think to a certain extent there has been [stagnation]," he said. "You need to keep up with the times."
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Mr. Weal, who lost the Democratic primary for state's attorney, said he hopes Ms. McLendon will improve communications and the imbalances between the office's District Court and Circuit Court divisions.
Mr. Weal said it's been months since Mr. Hymes last visited the District Court division, located less than a mile from the state's attorney's office.
He added that District Court prosecutors don't have secretaries, while there is a secretary for every three Circuit Court prosecutors.
Ms. Hanson, who shared an office with Ms. McLendon when they were assistant prosecutors, said she hopes that Ms. McLendon will review the system recently established by the state's attorney's office and court officials that divides prosecutors into three teams and schedules their cases in two-week periods.
The public defender said the system has "inherent problems," with many cases getting postponed and creating the risk that the court system will be put in gridlock as cases compete for trials.
Court officials say the kinks of the system, designed to give prosecutors more time to prepare for cases, will be worked out once all cases are put on the same scheduling routine.
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Clarke Ahlers, a county police officer for 14 years before becoming a lawyer, urged Ms. McLendon to review the close relationship between the state's attorney's office and the Police Department.
In some instances, Mr. Ahlers said, prosecutors have to scramble to find ways to justify cases that involve questionable police investigations because the state's attorney's office won't drop them.
In October, a judge threw out much of the evidence against a drug suspect represented by Mr. Ahlers because of lax police tactics.
The charges against the man were later dropped by the prosecution.
Mr. Ahlers said he's concerned that the relationship between prosecutors and police will grow even stronger, now that Ms. McLendon -- a former police officer -- is state's attorney.
"I think she has to be very careful that her role in the system is different," he said.
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Between now and her Jan. 3 swearing-in ceremony, Ms. McLendon will be busy making the transition from a former police officer, prosecutor and solicitor to the county's top law enforcement job.
She intends to meet regularly with Mr. Hymes, assistant prosecutors, police and court officials to get their recommendations as she decides what changes to undertake.
Ms. McLendon said her first priority is to beef up the prosecution of juvenile crime, beginning by setting up a group of teachers, police and court officials to advise her.
During the campaign, Ms. McLendon said she would consider adding a second prosecutor for juvenile cases and pursue tougher sentences -- including sentences in detention facilities -- for convicted youths.
Other changes at the state's attorney's office will be gradual, Ms. McLendon said.
Within the first year in office, Ms. McLendon said, she plans to establish guidelines on how prosecutors should handle different types of cases, including how plea bargains will be used. Ms. McLendon said she intends to lessen the office's reliance on plea bargaining.
In addition, Ms. McLendon said, she hopes to add another victim-witness coordinator, hire an office investigator, expand the scope of the grand jury, establish training programs for prosecutors and improve the office's ties to residents.
"It's clearly time the office be more visible in the community," Ms. McLendon said. "The time is now that we become much more active. The citizens need to know what's happening in the community."
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Most county lawyers say Mr. Hymes' greatest achievement is that he has put together a strong staff of assistant prosecutors known for their integrity and trustworthiness.
"I think that's the most important aspect of the state's attorney's office," said Mr. Ahlers, a Columbia lawyer.
Mr. Hymes said he is most proud of the people he has brought in to work as prosecutors.
He's proud of their accomplishments -- one now is a judge, another works for the Justice Department, and many entered successful private practices.
Even Ms. McLendon got her start as a prosecutor in his office.
"Whatever notoriety I have is directly attributed to the people in this office," he said.