LUMBERTON — For the first time ever, Angus Thompson is not the public defender for Robeson County.

On Wednesday, Ronald Foxworth, a long-time Robeson County assistant public defender, was sworn into the position, replacing Thompson, who retired after serving as Robeson County’s public defender since the Robeson County Public Defenders Office was established in early 1989.

Foxworth was appointed to the position by Robert F. Floyd Jr., Robeson County’s senior resident Superior Court judge.

Foxworth, who was born in Lumberton and raised in Rowland, has been a Robeson County assistant public defender for more than 22 years. He graduated from Rowland High School as a member of the school’s first fully integrated class in 1971 before going on to graduate from Morehouse College in 1975.

After working for a while in the retail business, Foxworth graduated law school at North Carolina Central University. He practiced law for a little less than a year in Charleston, S.C., before returning to North Carolina and being offered by Thompson a chance to work with the Robeson County Public Defender’s Office.

“I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when I returned to North Carolina,” Foxworth told The Robesonian. “I was just looking for work when Angus offered me a job.”

Foxworth said that he enjoys the challenges of serving as a public defender.

“It seems to fit,” he said. “I always knew that I would eventually do criminal work.”

With the beginning of his tenure as Robeson County Public Defender, Foxworth becomes only the second public defender in the county’s history. He said that he does not anticipate making changes in office staff or running the office differently than his predecessor.

“Everything is set up,” he said. “All I have to do is keep driving and keep it moving forward.”

Thompson said the Public Defender’s Office, which in addition to the public defender includes eight assistant public defenders, two investigators, and three legal assistants, will be in good hands under Foxworth’s leadership.

“He is very capable and a thorough trial attorney,” Thompson said. “He has handled all kinds of cases and in addition to Gayla Biggs and myself, is the only one in the office qualified to handle capital cases.

“The others in the office have a lot of respect for him. He is sort of a quiet guy, but in court he is a fearless lawyer, especially in the heat of an argument,” Thompson said.

The Public Defender’s Office provides legal counsel to criminal defendants who can’t afford to hire their own lawyer.

Ronald Foxworth
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_ronald-foxworth1_cmyk.jpgRonald Foxworth

By Bob Shiles

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Bob Shiles can be reached at 910-416-5165.