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Kym Worthy

First African-American Woman to Serve as a County Prosecutor in Michigan

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Kym Worthy Biography

Kym Loren Worthy is the current prosecutor of Wayne County, Michigan, home to the city of Detroit. She is the first African American woman to serve as a county prosecutor in Michigan. She became internationally recognized for prosecuting then Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick at the beginning of March 2008.

Worthy received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School. She attended high school in Alexandria, Virginia and is a 1974 graduate of T.C. Williams High School.

Worthy started as an assistant prosecutor in the Wayne County Prosecutor's in 1984. She served in this position for ten years, becoming the first African American special assignment prosecutor under Prosecutor John O'Hair. Her most notable prosecution was the trial of Walter Budzyn and Larry Nevers in the beating death of Malice Green. Worthy had an over 90% conviction rate. In 1994, she was elected to the Detroit Recorder's Court (now the Wayne County Circuit Court). From 1994 until January 2004 she was a judge on the Wayne County Circuit Court.

In 2004, Worthy was appointed by the judges of the Wayne County Circuit Court bench to replace now Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who resigned to become the head of the Detroit Medical Center. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office is by far the busiest in Michigan. There are 83 counties in Michigan yet Worthy's office handles 52% of all felony cases in Michigan and 64% of all serious felony cases that go to jury trial.

In 2009 Worthy began working on resolving a massive backlog of unprocessed rape test kits in Detroit, despite years of refusal to even allow assistant prosecutors to look for them for over a decade. On August 17, 2009 assistant prosecutor Robert Spada discovered a massive number of kits sitting in a warehouse that the Detroit Police Department had used as an overflow storage facility for evidence. The 11,431 sexual assault kits languished in the DPD property warehouse from 1984 to 2009 without being submitted for testing. In one case, a 2002 rape was linked to a man who was incarcerated for three murders he committed in the seven years after the rape.

From the inception of the project she has been committed to ensuring that every kit is tested, every kit is investigated and that a victim-centered approach to the investigation of sexual assault is implemented.

In September 2016 Worthy hosted the first Detroit Sexual Assault Kit Summit that was attended by prosecutors, police, sexual assault victim service workers, academics, and journalists to share information learned from the Detroit Project.

In 2018 Worthy was featured in the documentary produced by Mariska Hargitay - I Am Evidence. The documentary won several awards including the Emmy in 2019 for the Best Documentary in the News and Documentary category.

In 2018 after a distinguished career with many awards Worthy was inducted into the Michigan Woman’s Hall of Fame for her years of tireless work as the Wayne County Prosecutor and specifically for her outstanding work on resolving the Detroit Sexual Assault Kit Backlog.

In 2019 the 10th Anniversary of the Detroit Rape Kit Project was marked by a commemorative ceremony celebrating the completion of the testing of all of the rape kits, state legislation that sets out timeline for the submission of kits for testing and a statewide tracking system that allows victims to follow the progression of their kit for DNA testing.

In 2020 the mission of the Detroit Sexual Assault Kit Project continues with investigations and prosecutions of rapists. As of June 2020, there have been 219 convictions, and 2,234 cases that are actively being investigated. The Detroit Rape Kit Project has been a leader in this field establishing best practices across the county.

After wanting to have a Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) for many years, Worthy received the funding with the support of Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans, from the Wayne County Commission in 2017. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office CIU became operational in January 2018 and has received over 700 requests for investigation. It is headed by Director Valerie Newman. The Conviction Integrity Unit investigates claims of actual innocence, to determine whether there is clear and convincing new evidence that the convicted defendant was not the person who committed the conviction offense. "We are committed to taking these new claims of innocence seriously and we need any and all additional resources we can muster,” Worthy said.

In 2020 WCPO partnered with the Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center on New Program “Talk It Out.” Every year the Juvenile Division of the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office (WCPO) handles thousands of juvenile delinquency cases. While many of these matters are set on the formal court docket of the Third Circuit Family Division, there is a new alternate path available on appropriate cases. Prosecutor Worthy, in partnership with the Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center (WCDRC), offers select youth the option to participate in a unique juvenile mediation program called Talk It Out. Although it is imperative that each juvenile who commits a delinquent act is held responsible for his or her conduct, Prosecutor Worthy recognizes the negative impact that juvenile adjudications may have on the future of young people. The WCPO has created a program that balances the need for delinquent youth to accept responsibility for their actions and the interests of delinquency victims seeking justice. With the assistance of an experienced WCDRC facilitator, Talk It Out will bring selected juvenile offenders and their victims together with a focus on repairing the harm resulting from the minor's behavior. The goal of Talk It Out is to provide an alternative to formal prosecution that gives delinquent youth an opportunity to take responsibility and make amends, while also giving the victims a forum to be heard and healed.

Ms. Worthy has been an adjunct professor of criminal law at the University of Detroit/Mercy and has lectured at Harvard Law School, the University of Notre Dame Law School, Wayne State University Law School and the Universite des Sciences Sociales in Toulouse, France. She has lectured for the National College of District Attorneys, the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan, the Detroit Police Department and other local schools and agencies.

Her proudest accomplishment is being the mother of three daughters, Anastasia, 25, and 14-year-old twins Anniston and Alessandra.

Videos
News
  • Kym Worthy | Time

    Kym Worthy is the Wayne County Prosecutor, in charge of the Detroit area. She leads a small team that is investigating more than 11,000 abandoned, untested ...

FAQs
  • How do I book Kym Worthy to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Kym Worthy for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Kym Worthy, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Kym Worthy or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Kym Worthy

    Speaking fees for Kym Worthy, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Kym Worthy are under $10,000 for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kym Worthy, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Kym Worthy speak about?

    Kym Worthy is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Diversity Speakers, Influential Women, Inspirational, Law, Leadership Speakers, Women In Leadership, Women in Society, Women's Issues.
  • Where does Kym Worthy travel from?

    Kym Worthy generally travels from Detroit, MI, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Kym Worthy’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Kym Worthy for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Kym Worthy for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Kym Worthy or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

First African-American Woman to Serve as a County Prosecutor in Michigan

Travels From:
Detroit, MI, USA
Speaking Fee:

Kym Worthy Biography

Kym Loren Worthy is the current prosecutor of Wayne County, Michigan, home to the city of Detroit. She is the first African American woman to serve as a county prosecutor in Michigan. She became internationally recognized for prosecuting then Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick at the beginning of March 2008.

Worthy received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School. She attended high school in Alexandria, Virginia and is a 1974 graduate of T.C. Williams High School.

Worthy started as an assistant prosecutor in the Wayne County Prosecutor's in 1984. She served in this position for ten years, becoming the first African American special assignment prosecutor under Prosecutor John O'Hair. Her most notable prosecution was the trial of Walter Budzyn and Larry Nevers in the beating death of Malice Green. Worthy had an over 90% conviction rate. In 1994, she was elected to the Detroit Recorder's Court (now the Wayne County Circuit Court). From 1994 until January 2004 she was a judge on the Wayne County Circuit Court.

In 2004, Worthy was appointed by the judges of the Wayne County Circuit Court bench to replace now Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who resigned to become the head of the Detroit Medical Center. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office is by far the busiest in Michigan. There are 83 counties in Michigan yet Worthy's office handles 52% of all felony cases in Michigan and 64% of all serious felony cases that go to jury trial.

In 2009 Worthy began working on resolving a massive backlog of unprocessed rape test kits in Detroit, despite years of refusal to even allow assistant prosecutors to look for them for over a decade. On August 17, 2009 assistant prosecutor Robert Spada discovered a massive number of kits sitting in a warehouse that the Detroit Police Department had used as an overflow storage facility for evidence. The 11,431 sexual assault kits languished in the DPD property warehouse from 1984 to 2009 without being submitted for testing. In one case, a 2002 rape was linked to a man who was incarcerated for three murders he committed in the seven years after the rape.

From the inception of the project she has been committed to ensuring that every kit is tested, every kit is investigated and that a victim-centered approach to the investigation of sexual assault is implemented.

In September 2016 Worthy hosted the first Detroit Sexual Assault Kit Summit that was attended by prosecutors, police, sexual assault victim service workers, academics, and journalists to share information learned from the Detroit Project.

In 2018 Worthy was featured in the documentary produced by Mariska Hargitay - I Am Evidence. The documentary won several awards including the Emmy in 2019 for the Best Documentary in the News and Documentary category.

In 2018 after a distinguished career with many awards Worthy was inducted into the Michigan Woman’s Hall of Fame for her years of tireless work as the Wayne County Prosecutor and specifically for her outstanding work on resolving the Detroit Sexual Assault Kit Backlog.

In 2019 the 10th Anniversary of the Detroit Rape Kit Project was marked by a commemorative ceremony celebrating the completion of the testing of all of the rape kits, state legislation that sets out timeline for the submission of kits for testing and a statewide tracking system that allows victims to follow the progression of their kit for DNA testing.

In 2020 the mission of the Detroit Sexual Assault Kit Project continues with investigations and prosecutions of rapists. As of June 2020, there have been 219 convictions, and 2,234 cases that are actively being investigated. The Detroit Rape Kit Project has been a leader in this field establishing best practices across the county.

After wanting to have a Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) for many years, Worthy received the funding with the support of Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans, from the Wayne County Commission in 2017. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office CIU became operational in January 2018 and has received over 700 requests for investigation. It is headed by Director Valerie Newman. The Conviction Integrity Unit investigates claims of actual innocence, to determine whether there is clear and convincing new evidence that the convicted defendant was not the person who committed the conviction offense. "We are committed to taking these new claims of innocence seriously and we need any and all additional resources we can muster,” Worthy said.

In 2020 WCPO partnered with the Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center on New Program “Talk It Out.” Every year the Juvenile Division of the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office (WCPO) handles thousands of juvenile delinquency cases. While many of these matters are set on the formal court docket of the Third Circuit Family Division, there is a new alternate path available on appropriate cases. Prosecutor Worthy, in partnership with the Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center (WCDRC), offers select youth the option to participate in a unique juvenile mediation program called Talk It Out. Although it is imperative that each juvenile who commits a delinquent act is held responsible for his or her conduct, Prosecutor Worthy recognizes the negative impact that juvenile adjudications may have on the future of young people. The WCPO has created a program that balances the need for delinquent youth to accept responsibility for their actions and the interests of delinquency victims seeking justice. With the assistance of an experienced WCDRC facilitator, Talk It Out will bring selected juvenile offenders and their victims together with a focus on repairing the harm resulting from the minor's behavior. The goal of Talk It Out is to provide an alternative to formal prosecution that gives delinquent youth an opportunity to take responsibility and make amends, while also giving the victims a forum to be heard and healed.

Ms. Worthy has been an adjunct professor of criminal law at the University of Detroit/Mercy and has lectured at Harvard Law School, the University of Notre Dame Law School, Wayne State University Law School and the Universite des Sciences Sociales in Toulouse, France. She has lectured for the National College of District Attorneys, the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan, the Detroit Police Department and other local schools and agencies.

Her proudest accomplishment is being the mother of three daughters, Anastasia, 25, and 14-year-old twins Anniston and Alessandra.

Kym Worthy Videos

  • Clifford & Kym Worthy | One Detroit Clip
    Stephen sits down with Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy and her father, Clifford Worthy, to talk about Clifford's new autobiography that details...
  • What happened when we tested thousands of abandoned rape kits in Detroit
    In 2009, 11,341 untested rape kits -- some dating back to the 1980s -- were found in an abandoned warehouse once used by the Detroit police to store...
  • Kym Worthy | 2017 Detroit Policy Conference=
    Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy took the Sound Board stage during a session sponsored by Comcast Business to talk about the 11,341 untested sexual...

Speaker Lists Featuring Kym Worthy

FAQs on booking Kym Worthy

  • How do I book Kym Worthy to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Kym Worthy for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Kym Worthy, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Kym Worthy or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Kym Worthy

    Speaking fees for Kym Worthy, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Kym Worthy are under $10,000 for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kym Worthy, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Kym Worthy speak about?

    Kym Worthy is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Diversity Speakers, Influential Women, Inspirational, Law, Leadership Speakers, Women In Leadership, Women in Society, Women's Issues.
  • Where does Kym Worthy travel from?

    Kym Worthy generally travels from Detroit, MI, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Kym Worthy’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Kym Worthy for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Kym Worthy for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Kym Worthy or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Kym Worthy is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Kym Worthy for your event is $5,000 - $10,000. Kym Worthy generally travels from Detroit, MI, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Y-Vonne Hutchinson, Diana Adams, Minyon Moore, Blake Von D and Sunny Hostin. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Kym Worthy for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Kym Worthy Speaker Videos

  • Clifford & Kym Worthy | One Detroit Clip
    Stephen sits down with Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy and her father, Clifford Worthy, to talk about Clifford's new autobiography that details his experiences as a West Point grad and soldier...
    What happened when we tested thousands of abandoned rape kits in Detroit
    In 2009, 11,341 untested rape kits -- some dating back to the 1980s -- were found in an abandoned warehouse once used by the Detroit police to store evidence. When this scandal was uncovered,...
  • Kym Worthy | 2017 Detroit Policy Conference=
    Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy took the Sound Board stage during a session sponsored by Comcast Business to talk about the 11,341 untested sexual assault kits that were discovered in a Detroit...

Kym Worthy News

  • Kym Worthy | Time

    Kym Worthy is the Wayne County Prosecutor, in charge of the Detroit area. She leads a small team that is investigating more than 11,000 abandoned, untested ...

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During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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Speakers Similar to Kym Worthy

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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