Perry County Attorney Campbell Named Special Prosecutor in Clay County Threat Case

Perry County Attorney Derek Jorge Campbell has been appointed special prosecutor in a Clay County criminal matter by Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, according to a Hazard Herald release published Wednesday.

The appointment crosses county lines, tasking Campbell with prosecuting a case outside his home jurisdiction of Perry County. The Hazard Herald praised the selection, saying Campbell "has built a reputation for being thorough, prepared and unafraid to take on serious cases. He understands what is at stake when" — though the published release was truncated at that point and did not complete the sentence. The specific nature of the Clay County criminal matter was similarly cut off in available excerpts, leaving the charges and defendants unnamed.

The AG's office did not release a statement explaining why a special prosecutor was needed in Clay County, and no Clay County officials were cited in the announcement. Appointments of this kind typically follow a recusal or conflict of interest involving the local prosecutor, though that has not been confirmed in this case.

Campbell serves as Perry County Attorney alongside County Judge Executive Scott Alexander and three district magistrates: Jimmy Lou Spencer of District 1, Ronald Combs of District 2, and Clayton Church of District 3. Together they comprise the Perry County Fiscal Court, the governing body responsible for the county budget, road maintenance, parks, public safety, and other county services. Under the Kentucky Constitution, the County Judge Executive holds no judicial authority, and the former Justices of the Peace now carry the title of magistrate.

Campbell's selection by AG Coleman signals confidence from Frankfort in the Perry County attorney's ability to handle a serious matter in a neighboring jurisdiction. The full scope and duration of his special prosecutor authority had not been made public as of Wednesday.