National Jurist - October 2007 - (Page 15) Lyndsey Koches says the reality of being a DA is that compassion and people skills are more important than almost any other trait. Passion in prosecution Lyndsey Koches can’t imagine being anywhere else but the courtroom, where she tackles demanding cases that test her stamina and emotions. hen Lyndsey Koches brought a recent case to trial, she was unsure if the young victim would testify against her father — who had jabbed her with the butt of his shotgun several times. Koches, a deputy district attorney in the Philadelphia suburbs, has handled several child abuse and sexual abuse cases since she graduated from Pennsylvania State University By Ursula Furi-Perry, J.D. Dickinson School of Law and took the job in 2004. In fact, she specializes in them. But, it is always a challenge to get a child to testify against a parent. At first, the daughter didn’t want to say anything on the stand that would hurt her father. But Koches kept asking questions, prodding her gently, and bringing her out. Finally, the girl opened up on the stand. “She was very brave in willing to testify against her father,” said Koches, who was touched by the young girl’s courage. “It’s difficult to watch a victim go through testifying, especially cross-examination. The most private things in their lives are on display. It’s important not to let your emotions dictate how you proceed, and to make sure your emotions don’t cloud your judgment.” Koches is one of many district attorneys across the United States, and popular television paints the DA as a tough on crime, no holds barred attorney. But the reality for Koches is that compassion and people skills are more important than almost any other trait. “It’s important to be able to communicate well with all different kinds of people,” Koches said. “You have to relate to every type of person. You need excellent communications skills and need to be very compassionate.” Koches loves her job, even when it is difficult and emotional. She loves working with people to help make the community safer. “When I graduated, I wanted to look for a position that would challenge me and was interesting,” Koches said. “[I like] the human aspect of the [DA position]. You’re not just pushing paper; you really get to help people.” She took the job as an assistant district attorney with the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office upon graduation, and October 2007 THE NATIONAL JURIST 15 PHOTO BY JARED CASTALDI/WONDERFUL MACHINE
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