After a long commute from his living room to his wife's office down the hall, Weld County District Attorney Michael J. Rourke joins Kim and Kara for a conversation about his career as a prosecutor. Better known on the podcast as "Kim's husband", Mike has been a prosecutor in Colorado for the past 25 years. A review of his highest profile cases and the moment he realized vicarious trauma had become a very real part of his life, reveal a much-needed perspective for true crime consumers. 

Michael J. Rourke is the elected District Attorney for the 19th Judicial District in Weld

County Colorado. He was first appointed District Attorney in 2015, and has been reelected twice, most recently in 2020. Michael is a lifelong resident of Colorado, attending Chatfield High School, the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Denver College of Law. His is a career prosecutor starting in 1997 in the 18th Judicial District before moving to Weld County in 2005.

Over the course of his career, Michael has prosecuted numerous high-profile cases, including first degree murder, sexual assault, crimes against children and crimes of violence. Michael has received several prestigious awards during his career, including the Colorado District Attorney’s Council Robert R. Gallagher Prosecutor of the Year and the Criminal Justice Award from the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance. He is a nationally recognized speaker, having presented for Ending Violence Against Women International, the International Homicide Investigators Association, and the Colorado District Attorney’s Council.

Michael is the Colorado State Director to the National District Attorneys Association Board of Directors, and is past president and current member of the Colorado District Attorney’s Council Governing Board.

Michael is a proud husband to his wife Kimberly and their four children. A Weld County resident, Michael is an active member of the community, having served on numerous community boards and commissions.

Learn more from Michael:

Website: https://www.weldda.com/District-Attorney

Instagram: @mrourkeda

Facebook: @WeldCountyDA

Michael's CTA: Love "true crime"? Get involved and help victims at a local level. Join your local law enforcement agency, prosecutor's office, or community crisis resource center as an advocate. 

_________

Join Kim and Kara's "Captive Audience" by visiting  https://www.patreon.com/SGTC. 

Members gain access to full-length video episodes of weekly podcast, Q&A live streams, discounts on merch, exclusive content, and swag--all interspersed with our signature compassion and a touch of dark humor. Your monthly membership goes toward podcast production, supporting our guests and their calls to action, and charitable donations.

Like what we're doing here? Be sure to subscribe, rate, review. The more people this show can reach, the more it can help. 

https://www.survivorsguidetotruecrime.com/

Submit your questions using our handy dandy form or by emailing [email protected] for future Q&A episodes.

Don't forget to follow us on social media:

Instagram @SurvivorsGuideToTrueCrime 

TikTok @SGTCpod

Facebook @Survivor’sGuideToTrueCrime

YouTube @Survivor’sGuideToTrueCrime

Twitter @SGTCpod

The theme music used in Survivor’s Guide to True Crime is Uplifting Motivational Stomp by MarcusWay