Prosecutor sets benchmark with her 300th felony trial

"It's an extraordinary accomplishment," Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall said of Anderson, who joined the office shortly after graduating second in her class from Arizona State University's College of Law in 1992.

Anderson said that when she was attending Canyon del Oro High School, her father urged her to become an attorney because of her sense of fairness and love of a good challenge. She brushes aside any notion that her achievements since then are any more notable because she was born without sight.

While most felony prosecutors in her office take between eight and 10 cases to trial every year, Anderson has averaged 16 per year, LaWall said.

"She is probably one of the hardest-working attorneys in my office," LaWall said. "She comes in and goes to work and doesn't stop until she goes home."

Anderson's conviction rate is 83 percent, LaWall said. To hit that mark, she said, "someone has got to be prepared, and her conviction rate shows me she prepares her cases well and does an exceedingly good job."

Someone who claims to have a 98 percent conviction rate isn't taking tough cases to trial, LaWall said.

LaWall nominated Anderson for a YWCA Women on the Move award, which Anderson received last month.

"Beth has uncommon courage, strength, resilience and fortitude," LaWall wrote in her nomination. "She is a source of inspiration for those of us who know and work with her."

While sitting in her narcotics unit office last week, Anderson downplayed her accomplishments.

It takes a team to prosecute criminals, and the law-enforcement officers, law clerks, investigators and legal assistants who work on her cases deserve just as much credit, Anderson said.

"I didn't set out to (reach 300). I just come in and do my work," she said.

Besides, she's always worked in units that inherently have heavy caseloads, she said.

If she spends a lot of her nights and weekends preparing for trial and deciding which defendants should go to trial or be offered plea agreements, so what? Anderson said.

"I just do what I need to do to do my job. I want to do the job right and make sure justice is done. I want to make sure it's done right and professionally."

Assistant Public Defender Michael Rosenbluth has tried numerous cases against Anderson. He describes her as pleasant, professional and courteous.

"She's honest and professional; there's no trickery with her," Rosenbluth said. "I've always found her to be thorough and fair."

For 12 years, Anderson has handled mostly narcotics cases, after starting out on misdemeanor cases, before moving to the vehicular-crime unit and then the property-crimes unit.

The narcotics unit not only offers her the opportunity to work on complex cases, but also a chance to work with K-9 officers and their handlers, informants and undercover officers.

She is always responding to motions challenging the legality of traffic stops, searches and police interviews.

"It's never boring," Anderson said.

More importantly, though, she said, is the deep satisfaction she gets from serving the community.

"My heart goes out to the children whose parents are involved in drugs. I see children taken along on drug deals and into the homes or buildings where meth is being made, being exposed to those dangerous toxins. Plus the abuse of all kinds that the children suffer," Anderson said.

Anderson inspires everyone in the office on many levels, LaWall said.

"Although Beth was born without sight, it has never been a disability that has held her back," LaWall wrote in her Women on the Move nomination. "Beth has learned to adapt and excel at all that she undertakes."

Anderson disputes the idea that she is special.

"I was born without sight, but I don't think that makes a whole lot of difference in what I do," Anderson said. "It's not an issue. It's not who I am. If this is what I was meant to do, I'm just going to do it."

Outside of work, Anderson is involved with her church, volunteers for a guide-dog program, rides horses, loves to shop, listens to books on tape, and goes to concerts and on hikes.

She abhors TV crime shows.

"I refuse to watch them and give them more viewers because they are such complete garbage," Anderson said, laughing.

"I just do what I need to do to do my job. I want to do the job right and make sure justice is done."

Beth Anderson

Deputy county attorney

Contact reporter Kim Smith at 573-4241 or kimsmith@azstarnet.com