Rick Romley
Encyclopedia
Rick Romley (born 1949), a Republican
, was the County Attorney
for Maricopa County, Arizona
from 1989 to 2004. He is currently serving as Interim Maricopa County Attorney
following his appointment to that position by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
, serving in the United States Marine Corps
, he received numerous commendations for his service in that war, including the Purple heart
medal. He was severely wounded by a land mine, losing both legs above the knee and suffering other injuries. Following the war, Romley went to Arizona State University
in Tempe
as a business management student, and graduated in 1974. He later attended ASU's law school and attained his Juris Doctor degree in 1981.
Romley also prosecuted Ray Krone for the murder of Kim Ancona. Krone, who had no prior criminal record, was convicted and sentenced to death. After spending ten years in prison, four on Death Row, Krone was freed after DNA conclusively proved that he was innocent. Romley defended his prosecution of Ray Krone by saying there was "strong circumstantial evidence" of his guilt. In response to the conclusive proof that an innocent Ray Krone spent 10-1/2 years in prison, four of which was spent on Arizona's death row, Prosecutor Romley said, "we will try to do better." He neglected to mention that the prosecution's concealment of the odontologist's report that cast doubt on Ray's guilt prior to his first trial indicates they may have knowingly prosecuted an innocent man.
(see: "Twice Wrongly Convicted of Murder - Ray Krone Is Set Free After 10 Years", By Hans Sherrer, Justice Denied Magazine, Vol. 2, Issue 9
In 2001, he received the Disabled American Veterans'
(DAV) Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year.
After leaving the county attorney's post, Romley served as a special advisor to the Arizona Attorney General for six months. In August 2007, he became a personal advisor to James Nicholson
, Secretary of Veterans Affairs
, in Washington, D.C.
In April 2010 the Board of Supervisors appointed him as Interim Maricopa County Attorney when Andrew Thomas resigned from that position to run for the office of Attorney General of Arizona making him only the 3rd interim ever since 1912 following Donald Harris in 1976 and Phil MacDonnell (Andrew Thomas' Chief Deputy) in 2010.
Romley's success as the interim county attorney came to an end on August 24, 2010 when Bill Montgomery beat Romley in the Republican Primary. Rick Romley ended his appointed term on November 3, 2010.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, was the County Attorney
County attorney
A county attorney in many areas of the United States is the chief legal officer for a county or local judicial district. It is usually an elected position...
for Maricopa County, Arizona
Maricopa County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*73.0% White*5.0% Black*2.1% Native American*3.5% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.5% Two or more races*12.7% Other races*29.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
from 1989 to 2004. He is currently serving as Interim Maricopa County Attorney
County attorney
A county attorney in many areas of the United States is the chief legal officer for a county or local judicial district. It is usually an elected position...
following his appointment to that position by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
Early life
A veteran of the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, serving in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, he received numerous commendations for his service in that war, including the Purple heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
medal. He was severely wounded by a land mine, losing both legs above the knee and suffering other injuries. Following the war, Romley went to Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
in Tempe
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
as a business management student, and graduated in 1974. He later attended ASU's law school and attained his Juris Doctor degree in 1981.
Career highlights
In 1989, Romley was elected county attorney (the equivalent of a district attorney) of Maricopa County, currently the fourth most populous in the United States, with approximately 3.4 million people. The office, the fifth largest in the country, is responsible for more than 40,000 cases a year. One of his highest publicized cases was when he was the prosecutor of the infamous AzScam scandal of the early 1990s, the largest public corruption scandal in Arizona history. In 2002, he initiated an investigation of the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix and their part in the pedophile priest scandals, that led to an admission of wrongdoing by the then Bishop Thomas O'Brien.Romley also prosecuted Ray Krone for the murder of Kim Ancona. Krone, who had no prior criminal record, was convicted and sentenced to death. After spending ten years in prison, four on Death Row, Krone was freed after DNA conclusively proved that he was innocent. Romley defended his prosecution of Ray Krone by saying there was "strong circumstantial evidence" of his guilt. In response to the conclusive proof that an innocent Ray Krone spent 10-1/2 years in prison, four of which was spent on Arizona's death row, Prosecutor Romley said, "we will try to do better." He neglected to mention that the prosecution's concealment of the odontologist's report that cast doubt on Ray's guilt prior to his first trial indicates they may have knowingly prosecuted an innocent man.
(see: "Twice Wrongly Convicted of Murder - Ray Krone Is Set Free After 10 Years", By Hans Sherrer, Justice Denied Magazine, Vol. 2, Issue 9
In 2001, he received the Disabled American Veterans'
Disabled American Veterans
The Disabled American Veterans, or DAV, is an organization for disabled veterans that helps them and their families through various means. It currently has over 1.2 million members...
(DAV) Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year.
After leaving the county attorney's post, Romley served as a special advisor to the Arizona Attorney General for six months. In August 2007, he became a personal advisor to James Nicholson
Jim Nicholson (U.S. politician)
Robert James "Jim" Nicholson is an attorney, real estate developer, and a former Republican Party chairman. He was the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs from January 26, 2005 until October 1, 2007.-Personal life:...
, Secretary of Veterans Affairs
United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
The United States Secretary of Veterans' Affairs is the head of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the department concerned with veterans' benefits and related matters...
, in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In April 2010 the Board of Supervisors appointed him as Interim Maricopa County Attorney when Andrew Thomas resigned from that position to run for the office of Attorney General of Arizona making him only the 3rd interim ever since 1912 following Donald Harris in 1976 and Phil MacDonnell (Andrew Thomas' Chief Deputy) in 2010.
Romley's success as the interim county attorney came to an end on August 24, 2010 when Bill Montgomery beat Romley in the Republican Primary. Rick Romley ended his appointed term on November 3, 2010.