Starke County Prosecutor Replaces Chief Deputy Prosecutor Todd Wallsmith

Nicholas Bourff

WKVI has learned that new Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff has replaced his Chief Deputy Todd Wallsmith only two weeks into his term.

Both men had been employed by Wallsmith’s father, David, and had developed a friendship. But because Todd Wallsmith was a nephew of Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall, it would have been impossible for him to present cases before the Judge in court. That would have been a conflict.

Finally realizing the predicament his office was in, Bourff replaced Wallsmith with Mary Ryan who had been the Chief Deputy of the former Prosecutor, Julianne Havens.

We’ll be talking with Prosecutor Bourff in the next few days.