Reuben Young

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on January 8, 2009 - 11:06am.
Tags:

Office District Status
Crime Control Secretary Statewide Appointee
Party In Office Since Term Ends
Democrat 2009
Level of Government  
Cabinet  
Date of Birth Birthplace Now Lives In
, , TN Cary, NC

Synopsis

Reuben F. Young is secretary of the N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety and a member of Gov. Beverly Perdue's Cabinet. A graduate of N.C. Central's law school, he worked as an assistant attorney general in Texas and then served six years under Attorney General Mike Easley. When Easley was elected governor, he named Young deputy and then chief legal counsel. In that job, he handled requests from inmates on death row and conducted an investigation into the deletion of e-mails by public officials in 2008.

Endorsements

Biography

Marital Status
Married
Spouse
Pamela
Children
Two sons, Brandon and Avery

Reuben Young is secretary of the N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety and a member of Gov. Beverly Perdue's Cabinet.

Early Life and Education 

Reuben F. Young was born in Tennessee.

He graduated from Sanderson High School in Raleigh, N.C.

Hearned a bachelor of arts in history from Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 1980.

He earned a law degree from N.C. Central University in 1985. 

Professional Career

From 1985 to 1987, he worked in the Texas office of the Secretary of State in the elections division. 

From 1987 to 1988, he worked for the McKee & McKee law firm in Austin, Texas.

From 1988 to 1992, he was the assistant district attorney for Travis County in Texas. 

From 1992 to 1994, he worked for the Wright & Greenhill law firm in Austin.

From 1994 to 1995, he worked as assistant attorney general in Texas.  

Political Career 

From 1995 to 2001, he worked as an associate and assistant attorney general for North Carolina under under Attorney General Mike Easley. In that post, he represented the Department of Crime Control.

From 2001 to 2003, he was deputy legal counsel for Governor Easley.

In June of 2003, Easley named him chief legal counsel, replacing Hampton Dellinger. He was the first African-American to hold the position in North Carolina. 

As chief legal counsel, his duties included handling pleas from death row inmates.

In March of 2008, he wrote a letter to an attorney for The News & Observer saying there was "absolutely no evidence" that members of Easley's staff had instructed state agencies to destroy e-mails sent by the governor's office. 

A former public affairs director had alleged that the governor's press office asked her and several colleagues to delete e-mails. 

In October of 2008, he donated $2,000 to Perdue's campaign for governor. 

Perdue Administration

On Jan. 2, 2009, Perdue named Young secretary of Crime Control.

Research and reporting by Ryan Teague Beckwith and Mark Johnson. 

Occupation





Community Involvement:
Not specified.

Contact Info



Education

bachelor of arts
Howard University
Graduated: 1980		 juris doctorate
N.C. Central University
Graduated: 1985

Military

Not specified.

Links










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