The Kansas County and District Attorney’s Association has awarded Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman its annual Lifetime Achievement award.
This award was presented to Gorman on Oct. 13 at the KCDAA fall conference. The KCDAA is the professional organization for all prosecutors in the state of Kansas. Its purpose is to promote, improve and facilitate the administration of justice in the state of Kansas.
The annual Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a regular KCDAA member for his or her longevity as a prosecutor, and excellence in prosecution. With 33 years under his belt (and still counting), Gorman certainly fits the bill.
Gorman is a 1974 graduate of Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kan. In 1978, he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Kansas. In 1981, he graduated with a juris doctor degree from Washburn University School of Law.
Gorman joined the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office in 1981, soon after he graduated from law school.
“A couple friends of mine worked for the District Attorney’s Office. We’d go to lunch together and I’d hear these stories of all the great things they were doing. I knew I wanted to be a part of that team; I wanted the challenge and excitement that comes from criminal prosecution,” said Gorman, as he reflected on his career choice.
Throughout his time at a prosecutor, Gorman has been assigned caseloads ranging from juvenile offenders to adult major crimes, leading the prosecution on a number of high-profile criminal cases.
In 1983, Gorman started taking “call-outs” to crime scenes. To this day, he still carries a pager, and still responds to violent crime scenes, at all hours. His wealth of knowledge and experience covers a wide array of crimes, jury trials, and appeals. Remarkably, he remembers nearly every last one of them and is always eager to tell a good story.
On any given day, Gorman can be seen walking the hallways with an empty cup in his hand, coaching the new attorneys, telling stories, and visiting with the support staff, as he makes his way to the break room for a cup of ice.
Each year during the legislative session, Gorman offers testimony as bills are being considered and often meets with legislators to explain the nuances associated with supporting strong public safety and offender accountability. He was heavily involved in the drafting, hearings, and passage of the “Hard 50” fix during the 2013 Special Session of the legislature, following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Alleyne v. U.S.
Gorman has attended training at the National Advocacy Center, as well as the Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation, and attends nearly every KCDAA conference. He participates in and has been the host of the annual specialized prosecutor training meetings about homicide, child sex crimes, and narcotics, organized by the Kansas attorney general.
Gorman’s dedication to prosecution extends well beyond his office. He is a past president of KCDAA (2002) and served on the board of directors for a number of years before that. His current KCDAA involvement includes: representative to the National District Attorney’s Association (NDAA); homicide section leader; board of editors for The Kansas Prosecutor; best practices committee, and a host of other ad hoc committees and projects, from nominations committee to legislative affairs.
Outside of the work, Gorman is actively involved in his community.
He is an active member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church of Kansas City, Kan., where he participates in the Green Club. He served from 1987-2003 as athletic director as St. Patrick’s school. He has served on the executive board for Johnson and Wyandotte Catholic Youth Organization since 2005 and is currently the chairman of the board.
Gorman has coached youth teams in several organized sports leagues, and for years he served as a referee in youth basketball leagues.
He is a member of the YMCA of Kansas City, Kan.
From 1987 through 1996, Gorman was an adjunct instructor in the criminal justice departments at Kansas City Kansas Community College and Johnson County Community College. He is a regular instructor of criminal law and procedure at the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department Training Academy.
He is a frequent guest speaker at civil organizations throughout Wyandotte County.
In his down time, Gorman follows college and professional sports; he never misses a Polski Day festival; and his barbecue skills are legendary.
Gorman’s “community” is strongly centered on his family. He and his wife, Vicki, have three children and two grandsons. Vicki teaches second grade at St. Patrick’s School in Kansas City, Kan. Their daughter Emily graduated from the University of Notre Dame; their son Pete and daughter Hattie both graduated from Creighton University.
Kansas City, Kan., is an important city to Jerry: it’s where he was born and raised, where he was educated, where he served the public for over three decades, and where he raised his family.
Kansas City, Kan., may be an urban city, but to Jerry, it’s a small town, and one in which he knows practically everybody. To him, it’s home.
