David Stengel was born on September 10, 1946, the first of two children. His father, the late Raymond Stengel, was a state Representative and a partner in Stengel Transfer Lines, a local trucking company. His mother, the late Helen Stengel, was a General Motors retiree. Mr. Stengel graduated from Southern High School in 1964 and is a member of the Southern High School Hall of Fame. He received a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Kentucky in 1973 and he graduated from the University of Louisville School of Law in 1976. He is a graduate of the Executive Prosecutors Course in Houston, Texas.
Mr. Stengel was a U.S. Army aviator, flying over 125 combat missions in Vietnam. On June 6, 1970 he was shot down over Khe Sanh, receiving a decoration for heroism. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and AMVETS.
He served two terms in the Kentucky Legislature as a representative of the 29th District in southern Jefferson County. First elected in 1992, he was rated the most effective freshman legislator. Mr. Stengel served on the Judiciary and the Banking and Insurance Committees, as well as the Tourism, Development, and Energy Committee. He was co-chairperson of the Juvenile Justice Subcommittee.
While an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, Dave Stengel wrote Kentucky's Truth-in-Sentencing law and he successfully tried the state's first criminal syndication case. As a member of the General Assembly he was instrumental in passing Crime Victim Notification Legislation and helped author the toughest Juvenile Crime Bill in Kentucky's history. He did this while receiving the highest rating for protecting individual liberties.
Mr. Stengel first came to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office in 1975 and was promoted to Trial Division Chief within eighteen months of passing the state bar exam. He became director of the Career Criminal Bureau in 1981 and was promoted to Chief Trial Attorney in 1985. He has been a Special Assistant Kentucky Attorney's General. Mr. Stengel was also a Special Assistant United States Attorney on the Motorcycle Gang Strike Force and has served on the Kentucky Crime Commission. He is currently Vice Chair of the Metro Louisville Crime Commission, and he serves on a variety of boards and committees.
Mr. Stengel was re-elected to six-year terms in 2000 and 2006 without opposition in either the primary or general election. He is married to the former Michele Bullard, a Judge in Jefferson District Court, and he has two children and two grandchildren. Mr. Stengel is an avid fan of Formula One racing. He is also a motorcycle enthusiast and a weight lifter.
R. DAVID STENGEL RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS HONOR
On November 28, 2007, Commonwealth’s Attorney R. David Stengel received the Carroll M. Redford Award, given to the Kentucky Outstanding Prosecutor by the Commonwealth’s Attorney Association. This announcement and presentation was made by Association President Ric Bartley at the Banquet that occurred at the end of the first day of the Association’s “Winter” Conference. The award, named after long time Commonwealth’s Attorney Carroll M. Redford of Glasgow, recognizes a Commonwealth’s Attorney for "best exemplifying the attributes of the ideal prosecutor in fulfilling the duties of his office and in recognition of his diligence and leadership as a public servant and private citizen." This award is extremely prestigious in that it is not awarded on an annual basis, only when prosecutorial achievement demands. This is the first time in several years that it was bestowed.
Among the speakers present at the award ceremony were Attorney General Greg Stumbo, Attorney General-elect Jack Conway and Supreme Court Justice Bill Cunningham, in addition to many of the state’s other Commonwealth’s Attorneys and a large number of Assistants from Mr. Stengel’s office.
Mr. Stengel twice previously received the award as Outstanding Commonwealth’s Attorney — from Attorney General Stumbo in 2006 and from Attorney General Ben Chandler in 1998. Those awards were “in recognition of outstanding service to the citizens of the Commonwealth and the Unified Prosecutorial System.”
The Redford award is a significant statewide achievement for which Mr. Stengel was touched and delighted.
David Stengel was elected Commonwealth's Attorney for the 30th Judicial District, encompassing all of Metro Louisville (Jefferson County), in a special election held in 1996. He took office November 26, 1996. He is the immediate past President of the Kentucky Commonwealth's Attorneys Association.
In October, 2004, Mr. Stengel was a recipient of the distinguished Alumni Award. This was presented by University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law Alumni Association.
Harry Rothgerber graduated from the University of Louisville School of Law and currently serves as First Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for Jefferson County under Mr. Stengel. The First Assistant, a statutory position, serves as Commonwealth's Attorney in the absence of the elected official. He is second in command to Mr. Stengel and he oversees the daily operations of the office in addition to the supervision and training of all prosecutors. He is also in charge of the hiring process for prosecutors and law clerks, and he oversees the placement of all interns and externs from law school. 