MEMPHIS, TN – Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons has announced that effective September 1, he is creating a new Special Victims Unit (SVU) that will vertically prosecute all cases of rape and aggravated rape, and cases of child sexual and severe physical abuse.  The new unit expands the previous Child Protection Investigative Team (CPIT) and will also handle a number of other cases involving special victims, such as cases of nursing home abuse.

“This unit will focus on the special needs of these unique victims, some of whom are the most vulnerable,” District Attorney Gibbons said.  “We had already been handling cases of child sexual abuse in a vertical manner.  This new unit will continue that practice and handle adult rape cases in the same way.  This will provide a greater service to the victims and move these types of cases more quickly through the court system,” he added.

Vertical prosecution is the method of one prosecutor assigned to a case and handling all aspects of that case from the time the defendant is arrested until the case is disposed.

Gibbons named Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Nichols as chief prosecutor of the Special Victims Unit.  Nichols is a veteran prosecutor, most recently assigned to the D.A.’s Gang Narcotics Prosecution Unit.  She returned to the D.A.’s office late last year after serving six years as in-house counsel for the United States Postal Service.  She previously served as an assistant district attorney from 1991 – 2003.  During that time, Nichols served as chief prosecutor overseeing child abuse and child homicide cases. 

Also assigned to the new SVU are Assistant District Attorneys Carrie Shelton, Dean DeCandia, Terre Fratesi, and Brooks Yelverton.  Shelton has been part of the Child Protection Investigation Team for the past several years.  DeCandia most recently prosecuted cases in the Special Prosecution Unit court (which handles repeat offenders) and spent several years in the D.A.’s Gang and Narcotics Prosecution Unit.  Fratesi has been the chief prosecutor at Juvenile Court for nine years where she has handled hundreds of cases of child sexual abuse and severe physical abuse.  Yelverton was most recently assigned to criminal court and has also served on the D.A.’s DUI Task Force. 

“This is a strong team of dedicated prosecutors who have a lot of experience in dealing with serious cases.  But more importantly, these assistants will have a compassionate response to these cases and the special needs of their victims,” Gibbons said.