Shannon Barnette, Esq., Assistant Public Defender, is a native Waynesboro resident. Her mother, also from Waynesboro, met and married Shannon's father while he was in the military and stationed at Fort Ritchie. Shannon graduated from St. James School in Hagerstown, MD in 2005. From there she enrolled in Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, VA, near Harrisonburg. [Bridgewater College is a highly ranked small liberal arts college.] Shannon graduated with dual majors in French and Political Science in 2009.

Since Shannon's father's family had deep attachments to the Bar Association in South Dakota, Shannon elected to attend the University of South Dakota School of Law in Vermillion, South Dakota. After graduating in 2012, Shannon took her bar exam in Harrisburg.

Shannon lives with her German Shepherd, Heidi, and her Husky, Kalee. She loves reading. She just finished Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. [This will be out as a movie in early September according to Time magazine]. She's also a fan of road trips, having recently trekked to Philly to see the Backstreet Boys; but, she acknowledged to be a fanatic fan of Hanson.

Shannon related being in the courtroom when a prisoner was brought before the judge, clad in orange and chains. The Judge asked; "Who have we here?" The prisoner, who was proceeding pro se, responded: "I'm a third party intervenor, a living soul appearing on behalf of the deceased defendant." The Judge then inquired: "Where are you residing?" The prisoner responded: "Oh, around the jail."

Ricky Lewis, Esq., is a new Assistant District Attorney. Ricky is a former resident of Smithsburg, MD, where he was discharged with a degree from high school in 2004. He enrolled in the Army Reserves upon graduation and was appointed to the police battalion. He was sent on a visit to Iraq from 2006 to 2007 as a member of the military police. The Reserves helped with college expenses so he graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2010.

Ricky is a dedicated Orioles fan, prepared to provide statistics on Jim Palmer and Cal Ripken, Jr. He even mentioned Earl Weaver, but did not point out that this season, so far, the Orioles are in first place. Since the American League won the All Star game, there's potential that the World Series will be in Baltimore this year. He married his wife Kathryn on June 4, 2011, and attended a ball game the next day.

Ricky is a graduate of Penn State Dickinson School of Law, Carlisle, in June, 2013. He loved the small classes and the intense concentration of the law school. Then, casually in passing, he mentioned that he and his wife went on a two week mission trip to the Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, noting that the tribal colors are also the colors for the University of Maryland. Immediately after graduation from law school, Ricky clerked in the District Court in Frederick, Maryland, but joined the fourth floor in January, 2014.

He lives with Kathryn in Greencastle, and the newest addition to the family, Aubrey Evelyn Lewis, born June 4, 2014.

Joining the Public Defender's Office in March, 2013, Tammy Dusharm, Esq., has escaped the Arizona heat. Although originally from Watertown, New York, Tammy graduated from high school in Kingman, AZ in 1988. She took the long route to becoming an attorney.

Tammy began her working career as a secretary for the probation department of Mohave County, which borders Nevada. While working, she attended and graduated from UNLV in 1996 with a degree in criminal justice. Along the way, she'd become a probation officer for Mohave County.

Tammy then got sidetracked and attended a paralegal school. She began working for a private practice which concentrated in legal defense work. Tammy swallowed hard and enrolled in Arizona State University in the fall of 2003. She completed her course work for her juris doctorate at ASU in December, 2005, although her official degree is June, 2006.

Tammy's extended family remains in the Cortland and Binghamton, New York area, so when she learned about Pennsylvania's position on reciprocity, she began looking for criminal defense work in PA. Tammy's two girls, Tayla, age 8, and Aliya, age 5, are trying to adjust to being able to play outside in the summer. While their grandmother still lives in Arizona, the girls are enjoining spending time with their extended family.

Newest at the District Attorney's office is Tiffany Watson, Esq., who came on board in July, 2014. Tiffany is a 1999 graduate of Wayne Memorial High School in Wayne, Michigan. She then went to Albion College, in Albion, Michigan, a small liberal arts college. She graduated in 2003 with a degree in Economics and a minor in Accounting. She was quickly employed by an accounting firm; but by 2007, she'd been hired by a law office that concentrated in accounting.

Tiffany headed for law school in 2009, securing her degree from DePaul University School of Law, Chicago, in 2012. After graduation, she began her career in a law firm concentrating in bankruptcy in Baltimore, MD. She was eager to take the challenge of an open position in the D.A.'s office.

Tiffany loves outdoor activities. She acknowledges that she runs, hikes, camps, and skis. She also loves to surf. Forgot to ask where she learned to surf...