Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy received her undergraduate degree in economics and political science from the University of Michigan, and her law degree from the University of Notre Dame School of Law.  In 1984, she began her legal career at the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and, in 1989 she became the first African-American selected by the office as a Special Assignment Prosecutor.  She specialized in high profile murder cases, including the prosecution of Toni Cato Riggs (convicted of the murder of her husband, a returning Gulf War Veteran) and of two Detroit Police Officers convicted in the beating death of motorist Malice Green.

 

In 1994, Ms. Worthy was elected to the Detroit Recorder’s Court (now the Wayne County Circuit Court).  During the next nine years, she presided over hundreds of serious felony cases and was re-elected to the court twice by overwhelming margins

 

On January 6, 2004, Ms. Worthy came full circle in her career and returned to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, this time as the Wayne County Prosecutor, the first African American and the first female to hold the position.  She had declared her candidacy for the office for the November 2004 election.  These plans were accelerated when the incumbent resigned and she was appointed by a solid majority of the Wayne County Judges.

 

In 2008, Ms. Worthy charged, and successfully prosecuted, ex-mayor of Detroit Kwame M. Kilpatrick and his former Chief of Staff Christine Beatty.  The case garnered national and international press coverage. She has been widely acknowledged for her courage and integrity in charging a case that could have negatively impacted her political career. 

 

Ms. Worthy’s proudest accomplishment is being the mother of three daughters, Anastasia, 21 and 10-year-old twins Anniston and Alessandra.