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A 25-Year Journey to State's Attorney
Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy, left, talks with a friend, David G. Mulquin, in Rockville. McCarthy has streamlined some midlevel jobs and appointed two more prosecutors to work solely on gang cases.
(Photos By Ricky Carioti -- The Washington Post)
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Colleagues and relatives say they are amazed by his ability to juggle a heavy caseload at work, a part-time job teaching at Montgomery College, volunteer work and coaching duties for his sons' basketball and baseball teams.
"He's as competitive in the courtroom as out of the courtroom," said his son Patrick, 25, a third-year law student. "He's involved in so much. He was almost as involved in my little brother's basketball as he was in the campaign."
He is known as detail-oriented, disciplined and meticulous. "He's always vacuuming our house," said Meaghan McCarthy, chuckling. "That might go along with being so organized. He loves to vacuum. It's kind of weird."
McCarthy works out at the Montgomery public safety training academy gym, where he has befriended many officers. He drives a Ford Taurus and gets his coffee at Krispy Kreme.
"I don't care what kind of car I drive," he said. "I never have."
His deputy selections have been uncontroversial. Laura Chase, who ran the family violence division, is well-liked in the office.
John Maloney, who headed the state's attorney's homicide division in Prince George's, also has a solid reputation. Maloney opened a campaign account to run for Montgomery state's attorney, but he said he withdrew early after McCarthy announced his candidacy. He donated $6,000 to McCarthy's campaign. McCarthy said he did not start thinking seriously about personnel matters until after the election.
Some defense attorneys and prosecutors said they anticipate that McCarthy will push prosecutors to go to trial more and offer lenient plea deals sparingly.
"He has a reputation as an aggressive prosecutor, particularly in plea negotiations," said Stephen Mercer, a Rockville defense attorney. Many welcome that move. "The more trials there are, the more honest the system is."
McCarthy said he will be tough but fair. Borrowing a line from one of his ex-bosses, former Montgomery state's attorney Andrew L. Sonner, he wrapped up his first staff meeting with a request.
"If I make a mistake, please blame it on my head, not my heart," he said. "My heart is in the right place."
