Siegler resigns from Harris County DA’s Office

Kelly Siegler, the prosecutor who recently lost the primary election to be the Republican nominee for Harris County district attorney, resigned from the DA’s office May 9. Her resignation is effective today, says Scott Durfee, the office’s general counsel. Durfee says Siegler, who took a leave while she campaigned for office, returned to work as the chief of the Special Crimes Bureau at the DA’s office shortly after the April 8 primary election runoff. Siegler, a longtime prosecutor, lost the runoff to Pat Lykos, a former state district judge in Harris County. Lykos will face former Houston Police Chief C.O. “Brad” Bradford, the Democrats’ nominee, in the November election. The winner will fill the job that became vacant with the resignation last February of former DA Chuck Rosenthal. Siegler did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. In April, Gov. Rick Perry appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Magidson of the Southern District of Texas to serve as Harris County DA through December. In a written statement, Magidson writes, “Ms. Siegler has tirelessly served the citizens of Harris County during her long and distinguished prosecutorial career. She has been a steadfast advocate for crime victims, a pioneer in the art of cold case prosecution, and a charismatic role model for young prosecutors. Her leadership will be missed, but I am sure she will succeed in whatever she chooses as her next endeavor.”
-- Brenda Sapino Jeffreys