The court system in Worcester County saw a couple of major changes this week, with the top deputy prosecutor departing and a new judge appointed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Circuit Court Judge Theodore Eschenburg earlier this year.Brian Shockley, 45, a partner in the Ocean City law firm, Williams, Moore, Shockley, Harrison, was named to the bench Wednesday by Gov. Martin O’Malley. Shockley earned his law degree from the University of Maryland in 1992 and practiced in Towson before returning to Ocean City in 1995 and joining his father, attorney Raymond Shockley, a partner in the firm. The younger Shockley made partner in 2000.
During his time there, he also served as an assistant state’s attorney from 1995- 1998. He also serves on the board of directors of the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Peninsula Regional Medical Center and Worcester County GOLD.
Meanwhile, a candidate for the position Shockley will now fill will be moving to the area full-time anyway, following the dismissal of Deputy State’s Attorney Mike Farlow.
Three days before Christmas, new State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby, who will be sworn in Monday, left a voice mail for Farlow, who was helping the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office in Salisbury. Farlow then left a voice mail for Oglesby, who called him later in the day at his home to ask him to meet at the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office in Snow Hill.
There, in a brief meeting, Oglesby told Farlow he was taking the office is a new direction and that Farlow, who had been with the State’s Attorney’s Office since October 2003, was not part of that plan.
“He’s got every right,” Farlow said Wednesday, although he said he was somewhat surprised at the timing. A few weeks ago, Oglesby met with all of the attorneys working under State’s Attorney Joel Todd and said he would not make any changes for four to six months.
“I figured I had a few extra months,” said Farlow, who surmises Oglesby may have perceived him as a potential challenger in the 2014 election.
“At this time, I’m not going to discuss personnel matters,” Oglesby said. He added that once he is sworn in he would be willing to talk publicly about the changes he has made and plans to make to the office.
To replace Farlow, Oglesby is expected to bring in Cheryl Jacobs, who has worked as an assistant state’s attorney in Baltimore. Jacobs, who has a house in Ocean Pines, had also applied for the local judgeship.
Farlow was expected to prosecute Justin Hadel, who goes on trial in February for the murder of Christine Sheddy.
Lynn Dodenhoff, Sheddy’s mother, was distressed to learn Wednesday that Oglesby terminated Farlow. She had expected Farlow to work on the prosecution of Justin Hadel, the man charged with murdering her daughter. His trial is scheduled for Feb. 8-10.
“I am shocked and surprised. Mr. Oglesby recently assured me that he would not make any changes in the staff before my daughter’s case goes to trial in February,” she said.
by:Nancy Powell www.oceancitytoday.net
