Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
WASHINGTON - Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Traci L. Kenner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Texas was one of 243 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Attorney General Eric Holder and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director Monty Wilkinson at the 30th annual Director’s Awards Ceremony on Sep. 10, 2014 in Washington D.C.
The Eastern District of Texas was one of 44 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In his prepared remarks to awardees, Attorney General Holder said, “Locally, nationally, and internationally, you represent the very best that this Department has to offer. Your work embodies our ongoing commitment - not merely to win cases, but to do justice; to protect our fellow citizens from crime, violence, and terrorism; to empower the most vulnerable among us; and to uphold the rule of law."
EOUSA Director Monty Wilkinson echoed those sentiments, saying to the recipients, “You have persevered, and remained focused and motivated - achieving remarkable results in work that makes a difference in the lives of citizens across our great country. The vast scope of your collective accomplishments is nothing short of exceptional."
Traci Kenner, of the Tyler office, was recognized for her outstanding performance as an Appellate AUSA and the Eastern District of Texas’s Appellate Chief. During her tenure, AUSA Kenner has made significant improvements to the district appellate program. In particular, AUSA Kenner’s exemplary handling of the appeal of United States v. Ebron, a capital murder trial originating in a Bureau of Prisons facility in the Eastern District of Texas, preserved a conviction and death sentence in a case with unusual appellate issues that could have -- but for AUSA Kenner -- resulted in a reversal and retrial. Instead, the final outcome was an affirmance in the Court of Appeals and denial of certiorari by the United States Supreme Court.
“For many years, Traci has honed her professional skills to become one of the most skilled appellate lawyers in the entire Department of Justice," said U.S. Attorney John M. Bales. “In the Eastern District of Texas, she handles our most complicated appeals, including the death penalty cases for which she has been so deservedly recognized. We are a much better office because of Traci’s work and I am pleased that she has been afforded this honor - it is certainly deserved."
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
