Description

The grant-funded, split-position Tribal Prosecutor/Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) is responsible for providing prosecutorial services for on-reservation offenses committed in the Southern District of Mississippi in the tribal and federal courts of the Southern District of Mississippi. The Prosecutor/SAUSA is responsible for representing the Tribe in the following courts: Choctaw Criminal Court, Choctaw Supreme Court, Traffic Court, Federal Court and any other courts as necessary. Additionally, the Prosecutor/SAUSA may be assigned other duties in the Attorney General’s Office to include training and drafting legislation. This position requires a comprehensive knowledge of the Tribal, State and Federal Law and Regulations.  Excellent research and writing skills are also required.

Requirements

1. To prosecute and assist in the prosecution of criminal cases in the Choctaw Tribal Courts, especially in the prosecution of offenses involving domestic violence, including the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)-specific crimes such as physical assault, sexual assault, and stalking;
2. To coordinate the appearance of the Tribal Attorney General’s Office before the Choctaw Supreme Court in criminal appellate matters, and to appear and argue as directed by the Tribal Attorney General;
3. To oversee, coordinate, and present in Court matters of Extradition under the Choctaw Tribal Code as directed by the Tribal Attorney General;
4. To advise, counsel, monitor and mentor non-Attorney Lay Advocates and prosecutorial assistants in the Tribal Attorney General’s Office in matters of Criminal Evidence and Rules of Criminal Procedure, Tribal Criminal Code and M.B.C.I. Constitution;
5. To assist the Tribal Attorney General, in formulating matters of policy relating to criminal law or procedure in the Tribal Courts, to review Tribal Code and Constitutional provisions with recommendations and improvements where needed;
6. To maintain crime-specific reports representing criminal charges in Choctaw Criminal Court and Federal Court;
7. To serve as a real-time legal consultant to the Choctaw Police Department, particularly to the Director of Public Safety and to members of the Criminal Investigative Division in 24-hour On-Call; to review prosecutorial reports for completion before submission to the United States Attorney for prosecution, and to recommend additional investigation, including drafting and obtaining search warrants, if needed;
8. To provide ongoing training for Patrol Division Officers and Investigators of the Choctaw Police Department in Constitutional matters such as the 4^th and 5^th Amendment considerations, particularly the law of Search and Seizure; hot pursuit; extradition; crime scene management; evidence collection and retention; presentation of effective testimony in cases in both Tribal and Federal Courts;
9. To provide timely training to the Choctaw Police Department related to changes in the Tribal Criminal Code and State and federal law;
10. To serve as part of prosecutorial management available to the Choctaw Multi-Disciplinary Team to facilitate the investigation (to include the observation of forensic interviews) and prosecution of child abuse within the purview of the Choctaw Police Department and Choctaw Social Services in its various divisions;
11. To provide lectures and training to selected staff of the Tribe and other law enforcement agencies in all areas, and for special programs and presentations of various Tribal organizations as it relates to criminal matters in Indian Country;
12. To advise and assist the Assistant United States Attorney representing Choctaw Criminal interest in the Federal Courts; to research and file pleadings representing Choctaw interests in Federal Court at the direction of the United States Attorney; to recommend grand jury investigations and dispositions in Tribal criminal interests; to recommend prosecutions for specific Tribal Federal cases, additional investigations in specific Federal cases, and declinations in specific cases or referral to Tribal Courts for disposition; to assist in witness and victim issues in preparation for Federal prosecutions;
13. To advise and assist the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its role as the statutory investigative authority in Indian Country and serve as liaison between the Criminal Investigative Division and the FBI and other federal agencies in prosecuting Tribal cases;
14. To facilitate and foster strong working relationships with all State law enforcement agencies who are geographically positioned near the M.B.C.I Tribal communities;
15. To comply with grant-mandated requirements, including generating all reports in a timely manner;
16. May be occasionally required to work irregular hours/days.
17. Other duties as assigned.