Ex-prosecutor G. Gilmore “Gil” Martin who was DA in Mississippi for 17 years dies at 77
Published 6:42 am Sunday, March 6, 2022
G. Gilmore “Gil” Martin, a longtime prosecutor for Warren, Sharkey and Issaquena counties in Mississippi, has died. He was 77.
Martin, who served as 9th Circuit district attorney for 17 years, died Friday of natural causes at his home, Deputy Warren County Coroner Ron Regan confirmed, The Vicksburg Post reported.
“Gil Martin practiced law in Vicksburg pretty much since he graduated from law school,” said Vicksburg lawyer John Bullard, a friend of Martin.
“I worked with him some when I was in private practice,” he said. “When he was elected district attorney in 1991, he asked me to come on as his assistant D.A. and I worked for him for 17 years. Gil taught me a great deal about the practice of law … he took an office that was functioning in pre-computer days just with typewriters and modernized it completely, redid the filing system and he was an excellent administrator.”
Martin was elected district attorney in 1991 and served until 2008. He was a charter member of the Port City Kiwanis Club, which was the first civic organization in Vicksburg to integrate.
During Martin’s four terms, the District Attorney’s Office prosecuted about 7,500 cases, and his staff was expanded to include victims’ assistance and bad-check units. He was defeated in the 2007 election by District Attorney Ricky Smith Jr.
“I had a lot of respect for Mr. Martin,” Smith said. “He was district attorney when I was starting my practice and I learned a lot watching how he operated the district attorney’s office. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”
Tommy Miller, a member of the Port City Kiwanis Club, said Martin “was the epitome of a Southern gentleman. He was always nice; he treated everybody with dignity and was just a very nice man.”
“Gil was a good attorney and a good friend,” Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said. “Gil and I had been friends for over 30 years and he was a very professional, effective prosecutor when he served as our district attorney. He will certainly be missed in the community.”
Funeral services are incomplete.
