Kenneth E. Melson
Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
In office
April 8, 2009[1] – August 30, 2011[2]
Appointed byEric Holder
Preceded byMichael J. Sullivan (acting)
Ronald "Ronnie" A. Carter (acting)
Succeeded byB. Todd Jones
Personal details
NationalityAmerican
Alma materDenison University (BA), George Washington University (JD)

Kenneth E. Melson is the former acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in the United States.[3] He was appointed to this post by Attorney General Eric Holder in 2009.[1] He resigned as head of the ATF in the aftermath of the ATF gunwalking scandal[4] and was replaced by B. Todd Jones, a former Marine who has twice served as the U.S. attorney in Minnesota.

Career

Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Melson served in the Arlington County (Virginia) Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office from April 1975-June 1983. Melson joined the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in April 1975. In January 1978, he was promoted to a managerial position as the Chief Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington County. In July 1980, Melson was again promoted to the position of Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington County, a position in which he served until June 1983.[5]

Melson served in the United States Department of Justice as a federal prosecutor for nearly 24 years,[6][5] joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia in June 1983 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. In June 1986, Melson was asked to serve in a senior leadership position at the office as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney. Additionally, Melson also served as the Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia on three separate occasions: July 1991-October 1991; March 1993-September 1993; and April 2001-September 2001.[5]

From 2003 to 2004 he was President of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences,[7] and served as a member of its Ethics Committee and of the editorial board for the Journal of Forensic Sciences.[5]

Melson was appointed by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales as Director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) at the Department of Justice effective on May 14, 2007.[5]

After Melson resigned as head of the ATF on August 30, 2011, he continued being employed by the US Department of Justice, re-assigned to the Office of Legal Policy as their Senior Adviser on Forensic Science.[8] He currently serves on the Ethics Committee for the American Academy of Forensic Science and sits on the editorial board of the Journal of Forensic Sciences.[8] Melson has been teaching at George Washington University for 35 years, first as an Adjunct Professor teaching forensic science and law courses, and currently as Professional Lecturer at Law.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Attorney General Eric Holder Names New Leadership for ATF, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and Office of Professional Responsibility". United States Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs. 8 April 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  2. ^ "ATF Chief Who Oversaw Botched Gun Plan Resigns". Newser, LLC. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  3. ^ "Faculty Directory". The George Washington University. Archived from the original on 12 November 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  4. ^ Belenky, Alexander (30 August 2011). "Kenneth Melson Resigns As ATF Chief Over 'Fast And Furious' Gun Trafficking Operation". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to Appoint Kenneth E. Melson". Department of Justice. Retrieved 17 November 2011. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ "Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to Appoint Kenneth E. Melson as Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys". U.S. Department of Justice (PR Newswire). Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  7. ^ "Past Presidents". American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Retrieved 20 April 2020.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ a b c "Kenneth E. Melson Biographical Sketch at George Washington University School of Law". George Washington University. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
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