Rachel M. England
Governor Ivey has appointed Rachel M. England as District Attorney for the 17th Judicial Circuit serving Greene, Marengo and Sumter counties. A Demopolis native and graduate of The University of Alabama and the University of Alabama School of Law, England will replace District Attorney Greg Griggers for the two years remaining in his term as DA. Griggers was elected Circuit Judge for the 17th Judicial District replacing Judge Eddie Hardaway who retired.
“A prosecutor from the beginning of her legal career, Rachel England has a distinguished record of handling criminal cases throughout the 17th Judicial Circuit as an Assistant District Attorney,” said Governor Ivey. “During her tenure she has played an active role in confronting crime, from targeting gang violence to rooting out public corruption. I have no doubt she will continue this strong record of upholding the law as the new District Attorney in Greene, Marengo and Sumter counties. England will also become Alabama’s youngest district attorney at age 29.”
England, a native of Marengo County, attended public school and went to the University of Alabama, with the intention of studying medicine. “ I started as a biology major, but I also had an internship in District Attorney Griggers office since high school. After two years, I changed my major and focused on law school. I attended the University of Alabama Law school. After seven years away from my home in Demopolis, I returned to take a job as Assistant District Attorney under Griggers to help keep our citizens safe and reduce crime.”
Rachel England was recently in the news for pursuing jury tampering charges against Tiyanna Deshay Artis, who served as jury forewoman in a case of two cousins, Gregory and Terrence Williams, from Greene County, for murdering Donald Ireland of Sumter County. Both cousins were acquitted of the murder charge by the jury. England, assisted by law enforcement found evidence of a personal relationship between Artis and Terrence Williams and charged her with 15 counts of Perjury 1st Degree and 3 counts of Hindering Prosecution 1st Degree. Artis is in jail in Sumter County.
“Blatant juror misconduct rising to this egregious level will not be tolerated in the 17th Judicial Circuit. There will be harsh consequences for those who attempt to disrupt the judicial process of the criminal circuit court,” said England, at the time Assistant District Attorney.