Joyce White Vance Recuses Herself From Langford Trial

Replacing Alice Martin, she has recused herself from the Langford case based on contact with one of the Governments star witness, LaPierre:

Vance was one of the first six people picked by President Barack Obama as U.S. attorney nominees - the start to changing leadership in 93 U.S. attorney offices. Before becoming U.S. attorney, Vance was chief of the appellate division. The Senate confirmed her Friday, and she said she expects to be sworn in later this month. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is expected to attend.Vance said public corruption cases will be handled ethically.

Allegations of misconduct by federal prosecutors became an issue recently when the Justice Department requested that the ethics conviction against former Alaska Sen. Ted Stephens be thrown out after it was discovered prosecutors withheld evidence favorable to the defense. The prosecutors themselves now are the subjects of an investigation.

"It's important as prosecutors that we vigorously pursue allegations of criminal misconduct," Vance said. "It is equally important that we pursue those allegations with integrity and respect for constitutional principles. That means we investigate criminal conduct; we don't target individuals for prosecution. This office has never done that and it will never do that."

Vance has no involvement in one of the office's biggest cases, the prosecution of Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford. She said she recused herself because she knows Al LaPierre, who, along with Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount, is one of the three defendants in the case."I know Al LaPierre," she said. "I don't know him well. I don't see him socially, but I've known him a long time."

Vance said she could have handled the case fairly, but wanted to make sure everything appeared above board. She said it's important that the public believes the office has integrity."After I thought about it, it seemed to me that the obligation I owe to the office was to recuse to avoid any appearance of impropriety or that I couldn't be fair," she said.

Vance said she learned LaPierre had reached a plea bargain with the government when she read about it in the newspaper.

The task force charged with prosecuting public corruption cases is still intact. Vance said the prosecutor who headed the unit asked to be reassigned before she took office. Vance has appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney Pat Meadows as the acting deputy chief over the public corruption unit.

"Pat has tried public corruption cases for as long as he has been in the office," Vance said. "I wanted someone with unquestionable integrity who was not afraid to take on the difficult cases and get convictions."

The trial of Langford begins later this month.