Longest serving Madison Co. prosecutor retires, talks about cases & career

MADISON COUNTY, AL (WAFF) - She's prosecuted thousands of cases in Madison County and now, the most veteran member of the District Attorney's Office has decided to retire. She's looking back on the many years she spent fighting for justice.

For 32 years and nine months, Rebekah Callahan worked as an assistant district attorney and over the course of her storied career, she impacted a lot of lives.

"I meet people all the time and I just recently spoke with a woman who said I was nice to her daughter. She was a victim," Callahan said.

Upon her retirement from the Madison County District Attorney's Office, she touched on the cases that were her specialty. They were mainly white collar crimes- embezzlement, securities fraud, builder fraud and property crimes.

"I liked the big embezzlement and securities fraud cases because they're like a big jigsaw puzzle and you have all the different parts you have to try to put together. Those were always my favorite kinds of cases to try," she explained.

Her decades working in the District Attorney's Office make her the longest serving prosecutor in Madison County history. When she started in 1985, there were only nine other females attorneys in the county.

"It was a different world. There was one district court judge who was a woman and I was assigned to work in her courtroom so that was good for me to have her as a role model," Callahan said.

She reflected on just how far women in law have come over the course of her career. She remembers a time when they didn't get the respect they deserved.

"There were judges calling you honey from the bench. We couldn't wear pants in the courtroom. We had a different kind of attire. Now, we have some really fabulous women on the bench and so many women practicing law here and I think it's really great," she stated.

Callahan is adjusting to life outside of work. She's been catching up with family members and spending time scrapbooking with friends. She's also busy taking care of her beloved pugs. The District Attorney's Office gave her a plaque to thank her for her service. A painting she was also given of Lady Justice shows the statue embracing the state of Alabama with a pug at her side.

"It was a fabulous place to work. I was very blessed to have that job," Callahan said of the District Attorney's Office. "Madison County is a wonderful place to live and a wonderful community to be a part of. As an assistant district attorney, our job is to seek justice and not just necessarily put criminals away. I think I did a good job in my duty which is to seek justice for the victims and for the community as well."

As a trailblazer for women and a dedicated public servant, she worked hard to leave a mark in the courtroom and beyond.

"I think I did a good job in my duty which is to seek justice for the victims and for the community as well," Callahan added.

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