Thomas M. Smith
Encyclopedia
Thomas M. Smith is the current District Attorney
of the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Alabama
. Smith was sworn into the elected office on January 19, 1999. As District Attorney, Smith serves as the chief law enforcement officer of Tuscaloosa County
, which is the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Alabama.
Smith attended the University of Alabama
for both his undergraduate and law studies. Smith graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alabama in 1971. He received his law degree in 1974. After receiving his law degree, he was sworn in as a member of the Alabama State Bar
in 1974.
Thomas M. Smith served as an Assistant District Attorney and as Chief Assistant District Attorney before he was elected to his current office.
It was while serving as an Assistant District Attorney that Smith prosecuted Dudley Wayne Kyzer for a brutal triple homicide. Smith was successful in the prosecution and eventually asked the court to impose a 10,000 year sentence in addition to two consecutive life sentences. The trial judge agreed with Smith and imposed the sentence. For years, the Guinness Book of World Records
listed this as the World's Longest Prison Sentence.
Currently, Smith administers an office with approximately sixteen full-time Deputy District Attorneys.
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
of the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Smith was sworn into the elected office on January 19, 1999. As District Attorney, Smith serves as the chief law enforcement officer of Tuscaloosa County
Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
Tuscaloosa County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama.It is named in honor of the pre-Choctaw chief Tuskaloosa. In 2010, the population was 194,656...
, which is the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Alabama.
Smith attended the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
for both his undergraduate and law studies. Smith graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alabama in 1971. He received his law degree in 1974. After receiving his law degree, he was sworn in as a member of the Alabama State Bar
Alabama State Bar
The Alabama State Bar is the integrated bar association of the U.S. state of Alabama.The Alabama State Bar was established in 1923 and is part of the 1975 Alabama Code, §§ 34-3-1 to 34-3-89....
in 1974.
Thomas M. Smith served as an Assistant District Attorney and as Chief Assistant District Attorney before he was elected to his current office.
It was while serving as an Assistant District Attorney that Smith prosecuted Dudley Wayne Kyzer for a brutal triple homicide. Smith was successful in the prosecution and eventually asked the court to impose a 10,000 year sentence in addition to two consecutive life sentences. The trial judge agreed with Smith and imposed the sentence. For years, the Guinness Book of World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
listed this as the World's Longest Prison Sentence.
Currently, Smith administers an office with approximately sixteen full-time Deputy District Attorneys.