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On Jan. 3, Tom Anglim was appointed by North Carolina Governor Josh Stein to become the next District Attorney of Prosecutorial District Two (​​which covers Beaufort, Hyde, Martin, Tyrell, and Washington counties) after Seth Edwards was elected to be a Superior Court judge. 

Ninety days into his new role, Anglim shares how it’s going. 

Q: So, 90 days in. Is this job everything you thought it would be and more? 

Anglim: “Well, I think it is what I expected. I mean, I think having worked with the former District Attorney Seth Edwards for 21 years…He was thoughtful enough and looking forward enough that he included me in a lot of the decision making process…I haven’t really experienced anything different than what we experienced previously. It’s just that now I’m the one sitting in the chair as opposed to Seth.”  

Q: Are there goals you want your office to achieve or initiatives you want to implement this year?

Anglim: “Try to continue the good work that has been initiated over the last 21 years…We’re assessing the things we do. With the advent of the Odyssey, the  E-Courts, it’s required us to kind of reassess how we handle cases outside of court. The reality of the E-Courts is it slows us down in the courts system. So, if we can reduce the number of people that have to come to court and thereby allow us to deal with cases that need to be dealt with in court that are serious cases that need to be tried or resolved in some way then that gives us the flexibility of doing so by reducing the number of folks that are actually going to court… We’re trying to expand the disposition of felonies in District Court. Chief Justice [Paul] Newby made that a priority by the beginning of last year. Our Chief District Court Judge Regina Parker has made it a focus. So we’re trying to resolve some of those cases that would normally be resolved in Superior Court in District Court. While it’s not many that we may do, but it will still enable us to resolve cases and dispose of cases sooner rather than later which again reduces the number of people that come into the courthouse from that perspective.” 

Q: How do you prioritize cases that come across your desk? 

Anglim: “We generally try to prioritize cases based on a couple of factors. Obviously, the more severe the case; they are important. Those cases that are victim’s rights cases are important and prioritized. We as the prosecutors, one of our roles is to give a voice to those that have no voice in the system. The system is basically made for the defendant which is fine, but we want to make sure that those who are victimized have the opportunity to be heard, get all the potential benefits or resources that are available to them through the state. We often reach out very early when it comes to trying to touch base with victims; let them know what their rights are, have them come visit us, meet with them, and discuss the process, because it’s frustrating for victims at times to realize that it may take years for a matter to be resolved…” 

Q: Your first week on the job, there was a fatal officer-involved shooting. Had the suspect lived in that situation, how would your office ensure they were effectively prosecuted? In a general sense, how do you make sure cases are effectively prosecuted?  

Anglim: “I think that begins with the investigation and then we work and have and will continue to work with our sheriff’s offices and police departments throughout the district to ensure that we uncover or follow every lead wherever it may lead us to the determination of what the truth is. Beyond that, it is internally within the office. It’s assigning those cases to a prosecutor that’s experienced enough and can handle those cases…” 

Q: Across the nation, law enforcement agencies – including ones in Beaufort County – have struggled to hire new officers, because less people are attending and graduating from Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) programs. With fewer law enforcement officers coming in and possessing little experience, does that impact your ability to effectively prosecute cases? 

Anglim: “Well obviously the experience level is probably a concern for law enforcement folks, generally. But I think if you have a core group of investigators and officers that are with these departments and they understand what it takes to number one, investigate a case, carry it through to its disposition, and a resolution in court, then they’re in a position to share that knowledge base… and to ensure that, that investigation’s internal integrity is unmatched.” 

Q: What are the most common crimes that occur in Beaufort County and has that changed over the last ten years? 

Anglim: “I can’t say that it’s changed. I can probably say that we’re dealing with younger folks with more serious offenses than we have in the past.” 

Q: Can you explain that further? Is it younger people having guns? 

Anglim: “Yes. I think there is a more obvious impact on weapons with younger folks than it probably was 20 years ago.” 

Q: Last question and it’s just for fun. Is there a fictional crime-fighting hero from a movie, television show or book you feel you best emulate in your job? 

Anglim: “I’m not usually one to toot my own horn, and I’m not really a fan or I don’t read a whole lot or watch a whole lot of crimes. But one of the things I learned early on in the process – and I’ve learned so much from other prosecutors across the state and the United States – is that to be the best prosecutor you can be requires you to be yourself. You have to be genuine; you have to be the person that a person can have that conversation with and know that you are trying to do the best you can do under the circumstances. If I could just continue to be genuine, to be who I am, then that’s going to be the best prosecutor I can be.”