ROCKINGHAM — As the new district attorney for Richmond, Anson, and Scotland counties, Jamie Adams is ready to step into the shoes of the person who came before her.
As of last week, Gov. Roy Cooper stated that Adams, who was chief assistant district attorney for Prosecutorial District 21, has been hired to replace Reece Saunders, who retired after more than a decade in the job.
Adams was made the suggestion for appointment by Saunders.
Saunders said of Adams, “She’s the real deal.” “If anyone has any doubts, they should just come to court.”
Adams said that when she heard about the position, she was “pure excited.”
In a press release, the governor said, “Jamie is an experienced prosecutor and is ready to take on her new role.” “I am grateful for her service to her community and know she will do a great job for the people in this district.”
Adams was sworn in during a special session of Richmond County Superior Court on October 7. Family, friends, and people in the legal community, as well as red-clad Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. members, crowded the chamber.
Judge Stephan Futrell, who is a resident of the Superior Court, gave the oath.
“I really can’t put into words how I feel right now,” Adams said after the event. “This is kind of the end of my life and career, and it’s great to see everyone who’s been a part of it.” Each and every time they’ve been there for me, it’s been huge for me.
Adams said she thinks of North Carolina as home, even though she was born in Detroit, Michigan.
Adams went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and got her Bachelor of Arts in psychology. She then went to Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan, and got her law degree.
She said she chose to be a lawyer because “we kill bullies.”
Adams said, “As a prosecutor, it’s my job to look out for the weakest people in our community, like children and the elderly.” It’s something that a lot of people don’t understand because they think that all we do is send people to jail.
“No, no, no, we’re here…”without the help of our police partners to keep everyone safe. That is our main goal, and we will keep working toward it.
Adams worked as a deputy district attorney in Mecklenburg, Catawba, Burke, and Caldwell counties before moving to Prosecutorial District 21, which includes Richmond, Anson, and Scotland counties.
Adams, on the other hand, said that she has never seen so much violent crime in one area.
Carolina Forward found that in 2022, Scotland County had the third-highest crime rate in the state, after Robeson and Edgecomb. Richmond County had the fourth-highest crime rate.
With an average murder rate of 22.6 per 100,000 people, Scotland and Anson counties have the third-highest rate in the state. With 17 out of 100,000, Richmond is in seventh place.
From 2017 to Oct. 7, an internet search of the Richmond County Jail’s records showed that 23 people were being held there on murder charges.
Adams moved to Laurinburg when she moved to this district in 2021. She said that “every single night,” she heard gun firing from her home.
Adams said, “I said, ‘Whoa, I need to move.'” “But then I thought to myself…”“Wait a minute, there are people in this town who can’t afford to move right now.” So I have to make sure that in everything I do and decide, I’m trying to keep our residents safe so that they don’t have to duck and jump under their beds at night when they hear gunshots.
Adams said she wants to focus on developing the younger prosecutors “so that one day, they can do the same thing, so that we’ll always have a continuity of people that can take this role and go forward and treat people with the dignity and respect they deserve when they come into the courthouse.”
Adams said that she has learned that respect from Saunders.
Adams said that right now there are nine assistant district attorneys and three open jobs.
Adams wants to fight crime by getting more involved in the neighborhood.
To show kids from Ashley Chapel Educational Center how the criminal justice system works, the DA’s office had a group of them just two days after she was sworn in.
She told them that the goal was for them to “spend time with us when we’re not up to no good.”
Adams said, “We want to try to get ahead of the problem so that we don’t see them when there’s not much we can do to help them.” “We’re not only better together, we’re also at our best when we’re with each other.”
Saunders went to Rockingham High School and graduated. He then went to the Wake Forest School of Law and got his law degree in 1977.
Aside from being a private lawyer, Saunders was a district court judge in the 1980s.
Saunders was first voted as DA in 2010 and won every reelection after that. During his time in office, the district went through a lot of changes. Last time, he didn’t have any opponents.
About his choice to step down in the middle of a term, Saunders said, “It’s just my time.”
Sounders said, “I had a job, a good job, and they gave it to me.” “I’ve liked doing it.”
Adams gave Saunders a plaque to honor his many years of service to the legal community.
In 2026, people will be able to vote again for district attorney.