LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jefferson County is mourning the loss this week of Thomas Wine, the Commonwealth’s Attorney in Louisville since 2012.
Kimberly Moore first met Wine in the 1990s.
“I was an equal opportunity drug addict. Anything somebody had, that’s what I was gonna do. I just never graduated to needles and stuff,” Kimberly recalled.
At that time, she needed a lawyer.
“I can say Tom Wine is steadfast in anybody’s life he’s in. He doesn’t give up on people,” Kimberly said.
She says Tom encouraged her to get sober, and that changed her life.
“He saw me at my worst, and the greatest joy for me is that he gets me at my best,” Kimberly said.
Her best continues now for three decades, helping others in Louisville. She’s the executive director for Joshua Community Connectors and worked with Wine through Group Violence Intervention.
“When Tom Wine sent you to prison, nobody better go to prison, but when he sent you to prison, you could go gracefully, because, you know, as a lawyer, as a judge, as a commonwealth attorney, you had had a million chances to get your stuff together. And by the time he said, ‘it’s time,’ you knew it was time,” Kimberly said.
Wine served as the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney for the last 10 years. He was first elected Commonwealth’s Attorney in 2012 and was elected to a second term in 2018.
That’s how District Court Judge Jessica Moore first met him.
“He knew my aspirations to become a judge, was a wonderful mentor and boss, and really helped me proceed on that path for myself,” Judge Moore said.
Wine’s death is not only gut-wrenching, but she said he affected the community through his work.
“It was just very shocking. So I had just been with him about two weeks ago at a luncheon he was at you know, at all of the meetings because of his very important work and jobs. So we’ve been in several meetings together and I was just so sad that I didn’t know that he was ill and just you know, finality that he had passed away. I just still I’m still shocked,” Judge Moore said.
She hopes his legacy will live on for years to come.
"I’m so thankful and grateful to have had him in my life as a boss, as a mentor, as a friend," Judge Moore said.
Wine died after a brief illness. He served Jefferson County for over 40 years.
Jefferson Commonwealth’s Attorney First Assistant Erwin Roberts will temporarily replace Wine.
Attorney General Daniel Cameron designated Roberts to perform the duties of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the time being.
He will serve in the temporary role until a successor is appointed by Gov. Andy Beshear.