George's murder trial pulls top prosecutor from behind the scenes "What is done in darkness surely will come out in the light," she started. Since she was elected in 2010, Alsobrooks has operated largely behind the scenes in a prosecutor's office that is among the region's busiest. This case - the first she tried personally since she took office - thrust her into the spotlight in a new way. A conviction would demonstrate that the county's first woman state's attorney is as much dogged prosecutor as she is skillful politician. But what would she say to the lawyers who worked for her if she lost? What would she say to the family of the victims, a 20-year-old aspiring sheriff's deputy and her 11-month-old daughter? I thought the evidence was strong, but you never know with a jury. Never," Alsobrooks said in an interview later. I just desperately wanted to bring peace to this family. Stepping into a challenging role When Alsobrooks, 42, became the county's top prosecutor in January 2011, she said her goal was simple: Make sure "we're not in here flubbing cases." She had worked there about nine years earlier, prosecuting domestic violence cases, and she knew the challenges. Historically, jurors are distrusting of authorities in Prince George's, and many cases are complicated by the uncooperative, undependable or frightened witnesses that come with street crime in an urban area. And the caseloads are heavy. The office, with a $14 million budget, has 80 prosecutors handling 47,000 cases a year. Montgomery County, by comparison, has 80 prosecutors handling 25,000 cases. Now more than halfway into her four-year term, Alsobrooks has staked a reputation as a capable leader - one who balances the duties of raising a young daughter, managing prosecutors and lobbying legislators. Even before she took office, Alsobrooks hired a tough former prosecutor to be her "eyes and ears" in the courtroom, popping into trials unannounced to critique attorneys and give advice. Prosecutors say they feel more rigorously evaluated than ever before, and that the issues important to them are well-represented in the statehouse, where Alsobrooks is pushing for new laws on mass threats and gun crimes. "Angela keeps abreast of everything that's going on, especially with these significant cases," said Assistant State's Attorney Joseph Ruddy. She does give input when she needs to. And she does make sure that the direction of the case is heading where it needs to go. But her office has had mixed success at trial. It hailed a conviction against a man who gunned down a popular Maryland state trooper but was stunned when jurors found that a Bowie State University student charged with murdering her roommate had acted in self-defense.