Donald R. Burkhalter on Thursday was named the interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, The Associated Press reported. Burkhalter has been working as the office’s Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney.
The head position opened up after Stan Harris, the district’s acting U.S. Attorney, on Wednesday resigned in preparation for his deployment to Iraq with the 155th Brigade Combat Team of the Mississippi Army National Guard. He had headed the office since January.
Burkhalter worked at Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C., for more than 10 years before joining the U.S. Attorney’s office more than 20 years ago, The AP reported.
President Obama has yet to nominate a U.S. Attorney for the district. The last Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney in Southern Mississippi was Dunn Lampton. Lampton was named to the office in 2001, a position he held until earlier this year.
