Upstate Prosecutor Wins Hollings Excellence Award

Assistant Solicitor Tony Leibert has dedicated a good portion of his life to helping people who can't stand up for themselves in the criminal justice system.

The veteran prosecutor often handles the most challenging cases on the court docket, sex crimes against children. The caseload is filled with vulnerable victims and criminal defendants who could be considered sexual predators.

The commitment and a track record of courtroom success earned Leibert the 2008 Ernest F. Hollings Award for Excellence in Prosecution. The award was presented Monday night at a statewide meeting of prosecutors in Hilton Head. Leibert is the third prosecutor from the 7th Judicial Circuit Solicitor's Office to win the award in the past 5 years.

"There is no better compliment than the recognition of your peers," Leibert said. "I'm honored and humbled.

"I would like to thank everyone who helps me prepare for court," Leibert added. "My success depends on the dedicated work of law enforcement, counselors, paralegals and victim advocates."

Over the past 3 years, Leibert successfully prosecuted more than 70 people who committed sex crimes against children. The cases include a 2008 jury trial conviction where the defendant received a 24-year prison sentence on multiple convictions for criminal sexual conduct and lewd act. He also recorded a 30-year prison sentence in 2007 for a complex trial that involved multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct, lewd act and incest. In addition, he successfully prosecuted a murder case in 2008 where the defendant received a 40-year prison sentence. He volunteered to take the murder case to help the office deal with a backlog of pending violent crime cases. The first two attempts at resolving the case ended with a mistrial after jurors couldn't agree on a verdict. Leibert's persistence paid off in the third trial.

"Tony is a brilliant trial attorney," Solicitor Trey Gowdy said. "His work in the courtroom is phenomenal - not only helping abused children gain the courage to testify but also in telling the child's story to the jury."

Leibert's challenges spread well beyond the parameters of his work as a prosecutor. He sustained a serious neck injury 25 years ago when he was involved in a traffic wreck caused by a drunk driver. He still takes pain medication to deal with a nagging pain that is so severe that he sometimes struggle to get out of bed in the morning.

Leibert, a long-time resident of Woodruff, has worked as a criminal prosecutor in Spartanburg and Cherokee counties for more than a decade. He is a graduate of Kent State University and Regent University School of Law.