Elizabeth “Betsy” Scheibel (born circa 1956) is a Massachusetts lawyer who served as the first female district attorney in Massachusetts.
Elizabeth Scheibel | |
|---|---|
| Northwestern District Attorney | |
| In office 1993–2011 | |
| Preceded by | Judd J. Carhart |
| Succeeded by | David E. Sullivan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Elizabeth Scheibel 1956 (age 67–68) South Hadley, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Mount Holyoke College (BS) Western New England College School of Law (JD) |
Personal life and education
editScheibel attended South Hadley High School and then Mount Holyoke College.[1] She was graduated in 1977 with a degree in psychobiology.[1] She considered a career as a veterinarian.[2] After seeing her future husband, South Hadley attorney Paul Boudreau, in law school she enrolled at Western New England College School of Law.[1][2] She is a life-long resident of South Hadley.[2][1]
While serving as district attorney in 1997, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.[3] In 2016, she was appointed to the board of trustees for the University of Massachusetts.[4] Previously, she chaired the board of trustees at Westfield State College.[4] She is friends with John Scibak.[2]
District attorney
editScheibel spent 30 years as a prosecutor, including nearly 18 as district attorney.[1] She began her law career at the Hampden County District Attorney's office in 1980.[1][3][2] Eight years later, in 1988, she took a job at the Northwestern District Attorney's office.[1][2][a]
In 1993, then-Governor William Weld appointed the then-district attorney, Judd Carhart, to a judgeship.[3][1][2] Scheible, then-Carhart's first assistant, was appointed to serve out the remainder of his term.[1][3][2] She was sworn in at Mary E. Wooley Hall on the Mount Holyoke campus.[1] She ran as a Republican in the next four elections and was never challenged for the post.[1]
As district attorney, she had a staff of roughly 100 people and a budget of nearly $5 million.[1] She prosecuted those involved in the suicide of Phoebe Prince in 2011.[1] The Boston Globe named her a Bostonian of the Year for her work on the case.[1][3][2]
In one of her earliest cases, she prosecuted Sean Seabrooks for stabbing his ex-girlfriend and their son.[1] After he was convicted, Scheibel was invited to Japan, where Seabrook's victim's mother was originally from, and helped get Japan's first anti-domestic violence law passed.[1][3]
She retired in January 2012.[1]
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "DA for the Downtrodden: Betsy Scheibel Ends Three Decades as a Victims' Advocate – Alumnae Association". Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Pierce, Charles P. (January 2, 2011). "The prosecutor: Elizabeth Scheibel". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f Contrada, Fred (January 4, 2011). "Elizabeth Scheibel wins accolades as she steps down as Northwestern District Attorney". MassLive.com. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
- ^ a b Suntrup, Jack (December 6, 2016). "Scheibel named to UMass trustees". Daily Hampshire Gazette. Retrieved March 30, 2020.