Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson was named Prosecutor of the Year by the Kansas County and District Attorney’s Association (KCDAA) on Monday, October 12th, 2015 at the organizations fall conference in Overland Park, Kansas. The KCDAA is the professional organization for prosecutors in the state of Kansas. Its purpose is to promote, improve, and facilitate the administration of justice in the State of Kansas. The Prosecutor of the Year Award is presented annually to a prosecutor for his or her outstanding prosecution of a case or cases throughout the year. A past president of KCDAA, Mr. Wilkerson was recognized for his excellence in the prosecution of Howard Barret. Barret was charged with the February, 2008 murder of Thomas James. Wilkerson navigated the case through significant hurdles involving competency and claims of mental disease or defect before finally securing a conviction against the defendant in November of 2014. The award is voted on by the KCDAA board of directors.
