Bucks County Prosecutors Part Of Team That Brought Charges Against Kathleen Kane

Two Bucks County prosecutors from District Attorney David Heckler’s office are part of the team that has brought charges against Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman announced during a press conference on the charges against Kane that First Assistant District Attorney Michelle Henry and Deputy District Attorney Antonetta Stancu, both from the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, will be assisting in the case.

Henry’s bio:

As Bucks County’s First Assistant District Attorney, Ms. Henry is second in command of the District Attorney’s Office. Ms. Henry is a graduate of Widener University School of Law and has been with the office since 1996.  In addition to her administrative duties, Ms. Henry prosecutes all types of criminal cases including murders and major crimes. Ms. Henry is a founding member of the Bucks County Child Advocacy Center.

Stancu’s bio:

Ms. Antonetta Stancu is a 2003 graduate of Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Dean School of Law. Ms. Stancu has served as an Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County, New York, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas and a Special Prosecutor to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office prior to joining the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office in 2012. Ms. Stancu is assigned to the Homicide by Vehicle Unit and is assigned to review applications for early guilty pleas.

Henry and Stancu have already been sworn in by Montgomery County officials as deputy district attorneys in that jurisdiction.

The two Doylestown-based prosecutors stood with Ferman and several other law enforcement officials during the Thursday morning press conference in Montgomery County.

Ferman called the Kane case one that comes with “heavy responsibility,” as Kane is Pennsylvania’s top law enforcement official.

Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler told LevittownNow.com he was proud to see two of his prosecutors help in what is expected to be a “historic – sad but necessary – prosecution.”

Ferman thanked Heckler for his assistance in the investigation. She also thanked prosecutors in Central Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.

While Bucks County and Montgomery County detectives have a “close relationship,” Heckler said he was not aware of any major assistance his investigators offered.

Heckler said he believes the skills Henry and Stancu have harnessed over their careers will help them in this case. He added that Stancu’s work in dealing with federal grand juries likely will be a plus for Ferman’s team.

Henry served as Bucks County’s top law enforcer for a period of time in 2008 after Diane Gibbons had to vacate the office after being elected a county judge.

Bucks County’s district attorney said Henry and Stancu will split their time between the Kane case and their workload in Doylestown.

Currently, Bucks County prosecutors A.J. Garabedian and Christopher Rees are sworn in other counties to provide assistance in cases.

“Both have superb work ethics,” Heckler said. “I’ve really been blessed with a strong group of people in this office.”