Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation

46th Annual Conference

Conference Agenda · August 4–7, 2026 · Eastern Daylight Time

Tuesday, August 4, 2026
11:00 – 1:30
Registration
1:30 – 1:45
Welcome
1:45 – 2:45
The Best of the Best
  • Hon. Rick HubbardSolicitor, South Carolina’s 11th Judicial Circuit
2:45 – 3:00
Break
3:00 – 4:30
The Evolution of Advocacy
  • John GillespieDistrict Attorney, Wichita County (Texas) District Attorney
6:00 – 8:00
Reception
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
8:30 – 10:00
Ethical Considerations of AI Use in Prosecution Ethics
  • The Hon. Todd HayesSolicitor General, Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit (Georgia)
10:00 – 10:15
Break
10:30 – 12:00
Mitigation, Malingering, and the Margins: A Prosecutor’s Guide to Mental Health Evidence in Death Penalty Cases
  • Dr. Matthew Norman, MDForensic Psychiatrist, Atlanta, Georgia
12:00 – 1:30
Lunch (On Your Own)
1:30 – 3:00
Capital Voir Dire
  • Jacob PutnamCriminal District Attorney, Smith County (Texas) District Attorney’s Office
2:45 – 3:00
Break
3:00 – 5:00
SCOTUS Year-in-Review
  • Bill BilderbackSenior Assistant Attorney General; Statewide Capital Case Coordinator, California Department of Justice
Thursday, August 6, 2026

Morning Breakout Sessions — choose one track

Appellate Breakout
8:30 – 10:00
Methods of Execution
  • Sabrina Graham (Lethal Injection)Senior Assistant Attorney General, Georgia Attorney General’s Office
  • Polly Kenny (Nitrogen Hypoxia)Division Chief, Capital Litigation Division, Office of the Attorney General, State of Alabama
  • Melody Brown (Firing Squad)Senior Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Office of the South Carolina Attorney General
10:00 – 10:15
Break
10:15 – 11:15
SCOTUS Best Practices
  • Dan SchweitzerDirector and Chief Counsel, Center for Supreme Court Advocacy, National Association of Attorneys General
10:15 – 12:00
Roundtable
  • Ronald EisenbergSenior Appellate Counsel, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office
12:00 – 1:30
Lunch (On Your Own)
Trial Breakout
8:30 – 9:30
FBI CAST Analysis
  • Bobby BlytheSpecial Agent, Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST), Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • James AtkinsonAssistant State Attorney; Targeted Prosecution Division Chief, State Attorney’s Office, 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida
9:30 – 9:45
Break
9:45 – 10:45
Victim Next of Kin
  • Kirsten ValenzuelaCapital Litigation Bureau Chief, Maricopa County (Arizona) Attorney’s Office
10:45 – 11:00
Break
11:00 – 12:00
Roundtable
  • Ashley RichSupernumerary District Attorney, Mobile County (Alabama) District Attorney’s Office
  • Lisa TannerDivision Chief (retired), Texas Attorney General’s Office
12:00 – 1:30
Lunch (On Your Own)

General Session

1:30 – 2:15
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
  • Roe WilsonAssistant District Attorney (retired), Harris County (Texas) District Attorney’s Office
2:15 – 2:30
Break
2:30 – 3:30
The Myth of Innocence: Fighting for Honesty on the Debate Over Capital Punishment
  • Joshua MarquisSpecial Deputy District Attorney, Linn County (Oregon) District Attorney’s Office
3:30 – 3:45
Break
3:45 – 5:15
Extraneous Offenses
  • Lisa TannerDivision Chief (retired), Texas Attorney General’s Office
Friday, August 7, 2026
9:00 – 11:00
Austin Yogurt Shop Murders
  • Mindy MontfordCo-Founder, National Cold Case Center
  • Detective Daniel JacksonCold Case Unit, Austin Police Department