Had their paths been able to cross in a criminal courtroom, television’s Perry Mason may well have met his match — at last — in Carol O’Brien.
The fictional defense attorney of old, after all, inspired the celebrated success that the real-life prosecutor would enjoy decades later.
“I decided in grade school that I wanted to be a Perry Mason,” O’Brien said. “He defended dozens of falsely accused people and managed to clear every one of them, usually by drawing out the real criminal on the witness stand through a masterful cross-examination.
“I chose the opposite role — a prosecutor who has never had a witness confess on the stand — but I still love conducting a good courtroom cross-examination.”
Indeed, O’Brien excelled at cross-examinations, setting the bar high for other prosecutors statewide and earning 2016 honors as Ohio’s Outstanding Prosecuting Attorney.
As the Delaware County prosecutor, she won convictions in 2015 against the Amsun Massage Parlor sisters in Powell, a human-trafficking case known for its complexity and impact on anti-trafficking efforts in central Ohio.
O’Brien, 68, recently closed the book on her storied public-service career, retiring on Aug. 14 from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the second of two stints with the AGO. Besides her prosecutorial prowess, she built a legacy marked by unflagging support of law enforcement and fellow prosecutors.
“I’ve had the opportunity to admire Carol’s work from afar for several years now,” said Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson, himself a former county prosecutor who, before being appointed AG, directed the Ohio Department of Public Safety. “Her reputation as a helpful and brilliant resource for prosecutors has always preceded her, and I’m so grateful to have had these past few months to see her in action up-close.”
O’Brien worked most of the past 7½ years as Deputy Attorney General for Law Enforcement — a role in which she oversaw the office’s law enforcement and criminal justice sections, including the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.
She also helped to create and later supervised the Human Trafficking Initiative and the attorney general’s Human Trafficking Commission, coordinating multiagency efforts throughout Ohio to combat trafficking, rescue victims and strengthen anti-trafficking policies.
O’Brien is known for her commitment to collaboration among law enforcement, prosecutors and victims, prioritizing respect, honesty and compassion throughout the justice process.
Before joining the AGO in 2019, she spent 12 years in the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office, the last eight as the prosecutor and the previous four as an assistant prosecutor. During that time, she also served as a special prosecutor in numerous criminal cases in counties throughout the state.
She was an active member of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association (OPAA) for more than a decade, serving as president in 2019, and gave presentations on numerous prosecutorial matters and other legal topics.
“On a personal level, Carol was a constant source of advice and support for me when I first started and she was in OPAA’s leadership,” said Louis Tobin, the association’s current executive director.
“I can remember a number of times when a prosecutor would call me about something, and my first call would be to Carol to see what she would do or what advice she had. No matter how busy she was, she always made time to talk and to help work through problems.”
O’Brien’s influence, which has long extended beyond Delaware County and central Ohio, cannot be overstated, Tobin said.
“Ohio is a better place — and a safer place — because of her.”
Earlier in her career, O’Brien served as an assistant attorney general in the AGO — her first stint with the office — and as an assistant prosecutor in Franklin County.
Her retirement, AG Wilson said, leaves him with some sizable shoes to fill.
“Carol has certainly left her mark on me and on this office. The wit and wisdom that made her leadership style so remarkable will be greatly missed.”