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Kim Gourier Scott, the newly-elected district attorney for Prosecutorial District 7, took the oath of office in the Northampton County Superior Courtroom in Jackson today.

“I often tell people this wasn’t something I sought out,” she said after taking the oath. “It wasn’t something that I felt I needed to have this position or this title behind my name. I’ve always said it in private and I feel comfortable saying it publicly that this is what God placed in my spirit — that this was what I was tasked to do for this season in my life.”

Her job with Legal Aid of North Carolina made her realize she was passionate about helping people. “(Her husband) Damien and I have three small children that we’re raising in Murfreesboro and we hear about the things happening on the news and I’m scared for my children.”

She said, however, “It’s just not my children that I go to work for. We go to work and we do what we do because no mother should be afraid to let their children play outside of the home. No mother should be apprehensive about taking three steps away from the shopping cart at the grocery store because you don’t know what other people’s intentions are.”

Scott said it was placed in her heart a long time ago that her intention was to be present and help people.

She described her parents as amazing pillars in her life. “Together they have been a magical team that have allowed me a safety net to know that I know I can’t fail.”

Her six siblings have been built-in friends, she said. “I’m thankful for everyone that’s here, for everyone that’s come to share with us.”

Scott said she has dedicated the last 17 years of her life to helping people “and for at least the next four years I am your elected district attorney and I promise to do the same thing because there are some things I just think are important and that’s that people should feel safe in their homes and that people should know they have someone in the courtroom who’s going to fight for them.”

The new district attorney said she is excited about her team “that is here to represent you, the citizens of this district — to make sure that when you go home and when you go to sleep at night you can feel safe and comfortable in your home, that your children feel comfortable playing outside.”

Hertford County Sheriff Dexter Hayes said he was a young deputy when he met Scott. “We’ve had a lot of long conversations about my traffic stops and other things to make sure everything was ready to go to trial.”

Hayes said Scott has been blue collar in her work ethic and told her to continue trusting in God. “Every obstacle that will come before you for the next four years, we’ll take care of you.”

Laquitta Green-Cooper, Northampton County clerk of court, said, “The staff at the Northampton County Clerk of Courts Office will always be here to support you and if you keep God first, your family second and work third everything will be OK.”

Newly-elected Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin said, “We are here to support you. We started about the same time. Because of you, because of our elected district attorney Valerie Asbell, I ascended to the seat where I am today because of you all. You’ve told me when we’ve had great cases and you’ve told me when we don’t have anything at all.”

David Harvey, president of the Halifax County NAACP, said he began to know Scott when the judicial districts of Bertie, Halifax, Hertford, and Northampton merged. “A lot of people don't know when there was an issue in Halifax County it was Kim Scott that I talked to.”

Harvey said it was an easy decision to join Scott’s campaign when she approached him about the matter. “We had an excellent candidate. Kim Scott was an excellent candidate.”

Asbell, the former district attorney, told Scott, like Esther in the Bible, “You will have many meaningful choices to make. There will be highs and lows but God has placed you where he wants you to be for such a time as this.”

She also told her former assistant district attorney that she has a God-given circle of influence. “Look at the people who are sitting in this amazing courtroom.”

She told Scott, as she choked back tears, “I want to say how very proud I am of you, personally and professionally.”

In introducing his wife, Mr. Scott said for the last 15 years she has poured everything into the community. “Kim is passionate about her work and her desire to help others. She’s up every day ready to speak for you and to speak for the voiceless. She is up late all the time but she’s preparing herself for you — our community. She wants to represent you well so she puts in the work.”

Mr. Scott said his wife never celebrated her accomplishments like he thought she should. “She has been the walking definition of humble. When I asked her why she’s not celebrating, she said to me, ‘because there’s still victims, because at the end of the day there’s still too much work to be done.’ That’s who she is. That’s who you guys have chosen to represent you in District 7.”

Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Cy A. Grant, who administered the oath of office to Scott and her staff of assistant district attorneys, said, “I have seen Ms. Kim Gourier Scott develop into an outstanding prosecutor. It’s been a pleasure as a judge to watch her do her job, to watch her perfect her craft. She’s passionate, she’s hard-working, she has great trial skills and most importantly she cares about her people, especially victims of crime. We’re fortunate to have Kim Scott as our district attorney.”