LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman, of Kentucky, has announced his resignation, effective Jan. 20.
Coleman, a federal appointee, made the announcement Monday morning, days before the Trump administration prepares to leave to make way for the incoming Biden administration.
"For a guy whose childhood dream job as an FBI Agent ended early due to a spinal injury, serving as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the place I love, and for the people I've known all my life, has been a humbling honor," Coleman said in a statement. "I leave this office with gratitude and awe."
Coleman expressed gratitude to Sen. Mitch McConnell, Sen. Rand Paul and the White House for their support.
"I traveled to each of the 53 counties in our district seeking ways to be a more responsive partner to business and community leaders, Commonwealth's Attorneys, sheriffs and police departments of all sizes," Coleman said.
"To better protect South Central Kentucky and collaborate with law enforcement partners in the region, we opened a Bowling Green Office for the first time ever. We also increased our staffing in the Paducah Office to more effectively serve our geographically immense district that stretches well beyond Jefferson County, running from Prospect to the Purchase. I'm proud of the outcomes of the challenging cases we worked, and I'm hopeful we delivered justice to victims."
At the same time, Coleman lamented the fact that some cases continue to remain unsolved.
"I deeply regret we ran out of time to achieve justice for the families of Officer Ellis and Ms. Rogers during my tenure, and I urge the next Administration to prioritize these activities and ongoing investigations," Coleman added. "I am also plagued by the loss of life we grieved this year: violent crime took the lives of 173 Louisvillians in 2020 alone, with 572 wounded non-fatally. That's hundreds of devastated families struggling with this trauma in the midst of a global pandemic. Louisville cannot be complacent about this spike in violence, or 2021 will bring more lost sons like Austin Fitzpatrick, and lost baby girls in Disney coffins like Trinity Randolph."
Copyright 2021 by WDRB Media. All rights reserved.
