A man who started his career as a prosecutor in Nevada County, only to leave disillusioned a couple of years ago, is now the county’s Interim District Attorney. After an open interview session, required by law for such appointments, Tuesday afternoon, County Supervisors selected Jesse Wilson among three top candidates. He’s been a deputy D-A in El Dorado County recently. Wilson had been working under Cliff Newell until 2018. Newell announced he was retiring in July, about a year and a half before his term was scheduled to expire. Wilson, who still lives in Nevada County, told the Board that the department had become rudderless…

click to listen to Jesse Wilson

The other two candidates were Colusa County District Attorney Matt Beauchamp and Assistant Nevada County District Attorney Chris Walsh. Wilson says stability is his top priority…

click to listen to Jesse Wilson

Wilson fills out the rest of Newell’s term, starting July eleventh. He hasn’t officially announced whether he’ll run for an elected term next year. It took two ballots before the Board made a decision on a split three-to-two vote. Supervisors Heidi Hall and Hardy Bullock supported Wilson, with Supervisors Dan Miller and Sue Hoek voting for Beauchamp. Supervisor Ed Scofield was the lone supporter of Walsh before casting the tie-breaking vote for Wilson on the second ballot.