More than two weeks after stepping down as United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, Dena J. King told an audience in Charlotte that diversity matters in the criminal justice system.
“Diversity impacts everyone,” King said while speaking at the Sarah Stevenson Tuesday Forum.
King, a Charlotte native who earned a law degree from North Carolina Central University, was the first person of color to be appointed lead federal prosecutor for western North Carolina. She was appointed by former President Joe Biden and resigned after Donald Trump was elected for a second time.
King said that while she was honored and humbled when Biden appointed her in 2021, she said she also questioned why she was the first person of color to hold the post. “If you think about that, this position has been in existence, y’all, for almost 200 years… I’m certainly not the first qualified person, right?”
Her resignation, a common occurrence when a new administration occupies the White House, came as the Trump administration has leveled unprecedented attacks on federal programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
“It’s just ironic that we’re living in a time where people don’t like to say the term diversity,” King said. “They don’t like to say the terms equity and inclusion.”
King said diversity brings differing perspectives when prosecuting a criminal case, and she noted how her own life experiences, especially times in her life when money was tight, have made her more empathetic
“Having that level of empathy, because I know what that’s like, brings a different experience,” King said. “Your experiences bring something to light, even your review of cases and your prosecution of cases.”
King also spotlighted the need for diversity beyond the criminal justice system. “When diversity is present in any space — not even just the criminal justice, in any space that exists — diversity only enhances that space,” she said.
What’s next for King?
King said she plans to take the next month off and wants to continue using her “advocacy skillset” in Charlotte to help others. She said she will announce her plans in a few months.
This is a developing story check back later.
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