Rachael Geiser and Glori Shettles both delivered a thought-provoking presentation on Thursday, September 5. The presentation was held during the morning plenary at the National Defender Investigator Association Regional Conference in Memphis, TN at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Downtown Memphis.

The session discussed the many facets of a team; its members and how they effectively work together on both capital and non-capital murder cases.
Geiser, Investigator for the Major Cases Team, discussed how working in the corporate sector has given her transferrable skills she’s applied now with the SCPD.

Shettles, Mitigation Specialist, demonstrated the importance of beginning both fact and mitigation investigation from the moment the attorneys are appointed. Both Geiser and Shettles articulated how those investigations work parallel and almost always intertwine to prepare for trial and/or assist in negotiations.

“The session lasted an hour and a half, and we’ve been really surprised about how much positive feedback we’ve received this morning,” said Geiser.

The National Defender Investigator Association (NDIA) is a national organization dedicated to representing the investigative arm of indigent defense. The conference invites indigent defense investigators from across the country to participate and attend. The conference was held Wednesday, September 4 through Thursday, September 5.