CRIME

Prosecutors return to State Attorney's Office, management changes follow

Frank Fernandez
frank.fernandez@news-jrnl.com
R.J. Larizza

Three former prosecutors have returned to 7th Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza's office as management changes have been made, according to a statement released this week.

John K. Reid, 34, a former prosecutor who left the office to work for the other side as a criminal defense attorney is back and will become the State Attorney's Office Director of Operations South.

Also returning is Spencer S. Hathaway, 30, who previously served as the State Attorney's public information officer, answering questions from the media and providing statements and fielding public records requests. But he will have a different job now: managaing attorney for the Daytona Misdemeanor Division.

That's according to the new public information officer, Bryan L. Shorstein, 49, who will also become Larizza's new executive director once David Smith, a long-time employee who currently holds that position, retires in February. Shorstein said the executive director post will involve a lot of budget work as well as human resources.

Reid is replacing Melissa Clark. Hathaway is replacing David Cromartie.

The new roles for Clark and Cromartie are still being discussed, Shorstein said in a phone interview. He said Clark would be in a trial role.

Reid was previously a career criminal prosecutor for the 7th Circuit, and an associate attorney with the law firm of Damore, Delgado, and Romanik before returning to the prosecutor's office in November. He also became board-certified in criminal trial law earlier this year.

Besides previously serving as spokesman, Hathaway was a training coordinator and felony prosecutor. Prior to returning to the State Attorney's Office, Hathaway was in private practice in New Smyrna Beach. Hathaway also currently serves as a member of the Volusia Bar Board of Directors. 

Shorstein previously served as a prosecutor before entering private practice at the Law Office of Shorstein and Lee in St. Augustine. Shorstein served as the chairman of the 7th Circuit Bar Grievance Committee and the Animal Law Committee. 

Shorstein, who is a member of the St. Augustine Humane Society, said he would probably be involved in animal cruelty cases.

Shorstein is the son of Harry Shorstein, who was the former state attorney for the 4th Circuit in Jacksonville until leaving that post in 2008.