MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) — Long before he became a cornerstone of the 16th Judicial District’s legal system, Bill Whitesell was a young boy in Lewisburg finding entertainment in the local courtroom. Those Saturday mornings spent watching lawyers at work planted a seed that would eventually lead to a nearly two-decade run as the region's District Attorney and the founding of a critical community resource.

Whitesell’s path to the bar was not traditional. Initially a business student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, he pivoted to law after a spontaneous decision to sit for the LSAT. After graduating from Memphis State University and a brief stint in private criminal defense, a bulletin board posting drew him to Murfreesboro in the late 1970s.

Joining the District Attorney’s office in 1980 under the mentorship of Guy Dotson, Whitesell quickly transitioned from a novice to a formidable prosecutor. He credits Dotson with teaching him the art of cross-examination—a skill Whitesell would later master so thoroughly that his successor, Jennings Jones, would eventually label him the best he had ever seen.

In 1995, following Dotson’s retirement, Whitesell was appointed District Attorney by Governor Don Sundquist. Throughout his subsequent election cycles, Whitesell maintained a strictly independent political stance, viewing himself primarily as a career prosecutor rather than a politician.

"My job was to see that justice was done according to the law," Whitesell noted, emphasizing that his role was as much about preventing wrongful convictions as it was about prosecuting serious offenses like murder and armed robbery.

Whitesell’s tenure was marked by a significant shift toward prioritizing victims' rights. He made it a practice to offer victims uninterrupted time to voice their experiences, fostering an environment of empathy within the judicial process.

A Mission for the Vulnerable: The Child Advocacy Center

Perhaps Whitesell’s most enduring legacy is his involvement with the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) of Rutherford County. Inspired by a similar model in Clarksville, Whitesell co-founded the non-profit in 2000 to streamline the investigation of child abuse cases and minimize the trauma experienced by young victims.

Since its inception, the CAC has reached a staggering 50,000 individuals, providing forensic interviews and specialized training. Whitesell, who has served on the board for a quarter-century, highlighted how the organization "changed the game" by providing professional, court-admissible interviews that have directly led to higher conviction rates for perpetrators.

Despite its success, the CAC currently operates out of a cramped 1,600-square-foot facility where staff are often forced to work in makeshift conditions. Whitesell is now focusing his efforts on helping the organization secure a permanent, dedicated home to continue its mission of protecting the community’s youth.

"I really think God has a hand in this," Whitesell said regarding the push for a new facility. "It’s time and it’s the right thing to do."

For more information on the center's mission and how to support their building fund, residents are encouraged to visit cacrutherford.org.