Staff

Mr. Whitcher received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science and Speech Communications from the University of South Dakota in 1993.  He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1996.  He had served as the Lawrence County Public Defender from 2006 – 2013.   Mr. Whitcher was appointed the Public Defender for Pennington County in 2013.

Mr. Lapp joined the Pennington County Public Defender's Office in 2016. He oversees the day to day operations of the office.

Mr. Sutton grew up in Flandreau, South Dakota and attended Augustana College, where he received a Bachelor of the Arts in History, with a minor in Business Administration. Mr. Sutton received his Juris Doctor from the University of South Dakota, graduating with honors. Following law school, Mr. Sutton moved out West River, where he served as a clerk for the judges of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, primarily in Pennington County, and worked for several years as an attorney at the firm of Gunderson, Palmer, Nelson & Ashmore. Mr. Sutton joined the Pennington County Public Defender's Office in September of 2020 and is currently assigned to handle misdemeanor files. Outside of his practice, Mr. Sutton is an avid sports fan, particularly when it comes to Notre Dame football or Minnesota Twins baseball. Mr. Sutton enjoys playing golf in his down time, and loves exploring the beautiful Black Hills through hiking or hitting the lake with friends.

Mr. Pietz received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Economics from South Dakota State University in 1995.  He received his Juris Doctorate in 1998 from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.  He joined the Public Defender’s Office in 2016 and is currently assigned to misdemeanor files.

Mr. Olesen received a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Sciences from SDSM&T. He received his Juris Doctor from USD School of Law.  Mr. Olesen joined the Pennington County Public Defender’s Office in September 2017.  He is currently assigned to defend the defenseless, the disenfranchised, and the destitute; it is his duty to liberate the poor and the powerless from the grasp of injustice.

Mr. Andersen received a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Sciences from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 1996. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1999.  Mr. Andersen is a Veteran and former Officer in the US Army having served in the South Dakota Army National Guard and United States Air Force from May 1986 to September 2008.  Mr. Andersen joined the Pennington County Public Defender's Office on January 1, 2000.  He is currently assigned to handle felony files.

Mr. Laidlaw received a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Black Hills State University in 2012. Mr. Laidlaw graduated with High Honors and received his Juris Doctor from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 2015. While in law school, he received Awards of Excellence for Highest Class Grade in Criminal Procedure and Constitutional Law. After law school, Mr. Laidlaw was a judicial law clerk for the Seventh Judicial Circuit of South Dakota. Mr. Laidlaw joined the Pennington County Public Defender's Office in July of 2016.  He is currently assigned to handle felony files. Mr. Laidlaw's favorite hobbies include camping and fishing.

Ms. Lawler has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government and American Studies from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT.  She graduated cum laude from Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, IL, where she served on the board of the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology.  Mrs. Lawler received the Pennington County Bar Association’s Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year award in 2017 and the South Dakota Young Lawyer of the Year award in 2020.  She serves on South Dakota’s Juvenile Justice Oversight Council, the Midwest Juvenile Defender Center’s Advisory Board, and the Black Hills Community Theatre’s Board of Directors.  Mrs. Lawler has been with the Pennington County Public Defender’s Office since 2013 and currently oversees the abuse and neglect and the juvenile departments.

Ms. Rossiter is a Cum Laude graduate from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice. She attended law school at a small private college in Southern California, the University of La Verne College of Law where she also graduated cum laude. Ms. Rossiter spent four years with the Kern County Public Defender’s office in Bakersfield, California. She then spent two and a half years suing law enforcement in civil rights suits in Southern California. In 2017 Ms. Rossiter returned to her home state of South Dakota to work with the Pennington County Public Defender’s office and serve and protect the rights of some of the most vulnerable member of the community she loves.

Mrs. Cook Oleson joined the Pennington County Public Defender's Office in 2019 and is currently assigned misdemeanor files.

Mr. Rappold joined the Pennington County Public Defender's Office in 2015 and is currently assigned to felony files.

Mr. Leon received a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the University of South Dakota. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of South Dakota. He joined the Pennington County Public Defender's Office in February, 2003.  He is currently assigned to a handle Abuse and Neglect cases.

Ms. Regalado joined the Pennington County Defenders' Office in 2015 and is currently the Felony Attorney Supervisor.