Administration & Support Services
The Administration & Support Services staff perform critical, non-prosecutorial functions for the District Attorney and her team of 80 prosecutors. Tasks that are typically handled by this staff include but are not limited to management of the office budget, grant writing and grant management, oversight of personnel issues, and assisting the District Attorney with public outreach and communications. In addition to these functions, members of the Administration & Support Services staff perform essential clerical duties for all bureaus including data entry, document preparation, and other support services as required.
Why Hundreds Of New York City Prosecutors Are Leaving Their Jobs
New burdens, low pay and pandemic malaise prompted the resignations of a fifth of the legal work force in Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn.
-
Send any friend a story
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share.
Give this article
- Read in app
New York Citys prosecutors are leaving in droves, citing pandemic burnout, low salaries and two intersecting laws that fundamentally changed the nature of their jobs.
They just simply cant do it anymore, Darcel Clark, the Bronx district attorney, said in a Friday interview. The money is not where it should be, and the work-life balance is just unmanageable.
This year alone, 36 have left the Brooklyn district attorneys office and 44 Manhattans. At least 28 have left the Bronx, and the nine Staten Island assistant district attorneys who have left this year represented about 10 percent of that offices prosecutorial staff. The Queens office told the New York City Council that it was on track this year to more than double last years resignations.
In the past year, the Manhattan and Brooklyn district attorneys, who have about 500 prosecutors each, lost almost a fifth of that work force, a sharp increase from attrition averages before 2020. The Bronx is shedding lawyers at a similar pace, a total of 104 since July.
The district attorneys are replacing their previous employees when they can, often exchanging experienced prosecutors for untested ones.
Midterms: What To Watch In Primaries In 7 States
San Francisco voters will decide Tuesday whether to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin, the California citys progressive prosecutor who critics say is too soft-on-crime.
Left-wing Boudin has more than a year left in his term, and should he be removed, the citys centrist Democratic Mayor London Breed will appoint a replacement.
Breed is likely to choose an appointee more ideologically-aligned with herself, given that a successful recall effort would be seen as a rebuke of Boudins woke progressive bonafides.
One monkey wrench in the works for Breed though is that voters will also be deciding on Proposition C, which would bar mayoral appointees from running in the replacement election. If the recall succeeds, a special election for DA will be held in November to determine who finishes Boudins term through 2023. So some of her picks may not want the interim post.
Here are some people who might be on Breeds shortlist:
Recommended Reading: Wax Museum Hours Nyc
Terri Rosenblatt Chief Of The Post
Most recently, Terri headed the DNA Unit at the Legal Aid Society. She also represented clients as a public defender in the Bronx, and as an attorney in an appellate and civil rights law firm. Terri serves as committee chairs in both city and national bar associations and has a leadership role in a national forensic science organization. The Post-Conviction Justice Unit will report directly to DA Bragg.
Whats A District Attorney Anyway And What Do They Do
A district attorney is the top prosecutor for a town, city, county or state. In New York City, each borough, which are each a separate county, has its own district attorney.
Manhattans district attorney serves New York County, overseeing all local criminal prosecutions within the borough.
Cases in the Manhattan DAs office are generally handled by a staff of hundreds of assistant district attorneys who conduct investigations and prosecutions in more than two dozen specialized units. The DA has wide latitude on what and how to prosecute, whether to seek bail and in what manner plea bargains are made. The DA can also seize property as part of prosecution. In Manhattan, thats led to Vance controlling a sizable forfeiture fund.
The first Manhattan District Attorney was elected in 1847 after the state constitution changed to allow New Yorkers to directly vote on the position, according to Vances website. Across the country, district attorneys are not always elected three states and D.C. have DAs who are appointed.
Don’t Miss: Register Vehicle In Ny
Man Sentenced To 11 Years In Prison For Strangulation And Assault As Hate Crimes For Attack On Jewish Man Walking Home From Synagogue
Shouted Anti-Semitic Slurs Before and After Assault
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for the strangulation and assault as hate crimes for the unprovoked attack against a Jewish man, whom he cursed and strangled as the victim was walking home from a synagogue.
Public Corruption/economic Crime Bureau
Headed by Michael Bezer, the Economic Crime Bureau prosecutes cases of major fraud on the part of individuals, businesses, or their employees. This bureau also investigates and prosecutes identity theft cases, felony insurance fraud, welfare fraud, and bank robberies not involving the use of firearms. In addition to the prosecution of these crimes, the Economic Crime Bureau works in cooperation with the County Child Support Enforcement Unit to identify and prosecute child support delinquency cases. The Chief of the Economic Crime Bureau reports directly to the Second Assistant District Attorney.
Read Also: Registering Car In Ny
Contacting The New York District Attorney
If you’re the defendant in a criminal case, there may be instances where it makes sense to communicate with the D.A.’s office. For instance, you may be offered a plea deal that could reduce your sentence or eliminate it entirely. But it’s always best to work with an attorney and — in most cases — allow your counsel to serve as the intermediary. After all, they’ll have experience in these matters and may even know the prosecutor personally.
Mayor Is Going To Have To Stand Up To An Increasingly Far
Digging further into his plans reveals some truly radical proposals. First, Bragg will immediately begin de-prosecuting certain offenses, refusing to punish violations of duly enacted criminal laws. These include resisting arrest, trespassing, fare evasion, marijuana possession, driving with a suspended license and any traffic violation.
Manhattan apparently must accept disorder on the sidewalks, streets and subways the police must prepare for resistance at every arrest.
For those offenses that are prosecuted, Bragg announced plans to allow just about every offender to walk free the same day. Non-incarceration is the outcome for every case, except those with charges of homicide or the death of a victim, a class-B violent felony in which a deadly weapon causes serious physical injury or felony sex offenses, his campaign materials read. Will offenders who shoot at people and miss, armed robbers who display a gun but dont fire it, drug dealers and felons in possession of firearms all be released the same day they are arrested?
Even more alarming, Bragg proposes virtually the same non-incarceration path for both bail and criminal convictions. Thus, these offenders will walk out of jail the same day they are arrested and apparently will never return.
Manhattan, and the nation, will be watching.
Tom Hogan is a former prosecutor. Adapted from City Journal.
Recommended Reading: How Much Are The Tolls From Virginia To New York
What About District Attorney Races In The Other Boroughs
Brooklyn is the only other borough in 2021 with an election for district attorney. Gonzalez is expected to run for a second four-year term. No challengers will appear on the ballot in the June primary, according to Board of Elections records as of late April. Even if a candidate goes up against Gonzalez in the general election, its tough to unseat an incumbent.
In the other three boroughs The Bronx, Queens and Staten Island the current district attorneys are not up for reelection this year.
The NYC Board of Elections has resources on how to register to vote here, and you can find important dates and deadlines here and here .
Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley
Elected in 2011, Sandra Doorley is the first female District Attorney in Monroe County history. In 2015 and 2019, Doorley was re-elected to her second and third four year terms. Prior to assuming office, Doorley served the District Attorneys Office with distinction for nearly twenty years, successfully prosecuting thousands of high profile criminal cases and compiling an impressive record of victories. After joining the office in 1992, Sandra Doorley served under two consecutive administrations in the following capacities:
- Chief of the Felony DWI Bureau
- Deputy Chief of the Major Felony Bureau
- Second Assistant District Attorney
- First Assistant District Attorney
- Homicide Bureau Chief
Sandra Doorley is a graduate of the Syracuse University School of Law and completed her undergraduate studies at the University at Albany. She currently lives with her family in Webster.
Read Also: What Is Needed To Register A Car In Ny
Chanterelle Sung Chief Of Strategic Operations
Chanterelle started her career as an Assistant D.A. at DANY. Chanterelle thereafter served as an Inspector General for the New York City Department of Investigation, the Director of Monitoring and Compliance for the New York State Governors Office of Storm Recovery, and most recently as a compliance officer at a pharmaceuticals company.
Southern District Of New York
Welcome to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, which encompasses the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx in New York City, along with Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Westchester counties. The Office prosecutes cases involving violations of federal laws, and represents the interests of the United States government and its agencies in criminal and civil matters. The Office investigates and prosecutes a broad array of criminal conduct of every conceivable magnitude, even when the conduct arises in distant places. Today, the Office is at the forefront of many important areas of criminal law enforcement, including terrorism, white collar and cyber crime, mortgage fraud, public corruption, gang violence, organized crime, international narcotics trafficking and civil rights violations. Similarly, the Office litigates among the most complex and significant civil cases the Department of Justice handles – from large affirmative civil fraud cases to cases in the environmental, health care, immigration and bankruptcy areas, as well as cases implicating classified information.
Featured Resources
Recommended Reading: How Much Does It Cost To Visit New York
Frequently Asked Questions About An Assistant District Attorney Salaries
The average salary for an Assistant District Attorney is $78,689 per year in New York City, NY Area. Salaries estimates are based on 227 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by an Assistant District Attorney employees in New York City, NY Area.
The highest salary for an Assistant District Attorney in New York City, NY Area is $98,369 per year.
The lowest salary for an Assistant District Attorney in New York City, NY Area is $62,946 per year.
Nyc Primary: So Many Options For Manhattan District Attorney And Ranked Choice Voting Doesn’t Apply
NEW YORK — Eight Democrats are vying to become the next Manhattan district attorney.
From gun violence to potentially prosecuting former President Donald Trump about financial matters, the person who assumes the position will inherit a number of issues, CBS2’s Aundrea Cline-Thomas reported Tuesday.
All eyes may be on the mayor’s race, but the Manhattan DA is among the most powerful positions in the city.
NYC PRIMARY:Check The First Round Of Results In NYC’s Ranked Choice Democratic Primary
Late Tuesday night, Alvin Bragg was out in front with 35%, with Tali Farhadian Weinstein at 30% and Tahanie Aboushi at 11%.
“We definitely feel the momentum. We’ve built a borough-wide network. I’m from Harlem, started out in Harlem with so much support there,” Bragg said earlier in the day.
Bragg, most recently a chief deputy attorney general in New York state, promises to end cash bail and not prosecute low-level offenses which he says doesn’t benefit public safety.
Farhadian Weinstein, who worked in the Justice Department during President Barack Obama’s leadership, has a 10-point plan to address gun violence, with an emphasis on gun trafficking prosecutions.
She has come under fire recently for not paying federal income taxes for multiple years.
Manhattan Valley resident Lenore Richter said she is supporting Farhadian Weinstein.
“I looked at her qualifications. I think she worked for Eric Holder and I thought that, you now, that’s good,” Richter said.
- In:
You May Like: Can I Register A Car Online
The Power Of An Attorney
Preliminary results from the packed primary race for Manhattan district attorney have indicated that former state Chief Deputy Attorney General Alvin Bragg is the likely winner.
Throughout the course of his campaign, Bragg was able to win over progressives and moderates with his past work experience and plans to reduce incarceration, along with his promise to not prosecute a number of minor offenses. Bragg has also been vocal about how his own experience of being stopped and frisked by police has shaped how he thinks about the criminal justice system. However, Braggs stances are not as far left as candidates such as civil rights attorney Tahanie Aboushi, the favorite of the activist left, who hoped to dramatically reduce prosecutions. Trailing close behind Bragg in second place is Tali Farhadian Weinstein, his biggest competition in the race, who spent millions of her own fortune on advertising that some thought could significantly sway voters.
While this was one of the few races, aside from the judicial primaries, to not use ranked-choice voting, as the position is technically a state elected office, voters are still going to have to wait for results from absentee ballots to be counted before we know the official winner.
As we wait for the official announcement to come in, lets take a moment to talk about what it is that a district attorney does and is supposed to do in New York City.
How Nyc District Attorneys Came To Be
Mini history lesson
In 1796, New York was split into seven counties, each with their own assistant attorney general, or what is now known as a district attorney. While the other boroughs fell under the first district of New York and had their own district attorney, Manhattan has not always had its own DA as it does now. Before 1801, when New York County became a part of the first district of New York, all criminal cases in New York County were prosecuted by the New York state attorney general.
Until 1822, district attorneys in New York were appointed by the since-obsolete Council of Appointment. In this period, the DA served during the councils pleasure , so there was no defined term of office. The position then had three-year terms, and in case of vacancy, the governor was able to make an interim appointment.
In 1846 the position became an elected office following a constitutional convention. Since the 1930s the Manhattan district attorneys office has only had four elected DAs: Thomas E. Dewey, Frank H. Hogan, Robert M. Morgenthau, and current Manhattan DA Cy Vance. All Manhattan DAs so far have been *surprise surprise* white men.
You May Like: Register A Car Online Ny
Susan Hoffinger Executive Assistant Da Chief Of Investigations
Susan Hoffinger is a founding partner of The Hoffinger Firm, PLLC. Her practice focuses on white collar and non-white collar criminal defense, civil litigation, both state and federal, as well as regulatory matters and internal company investigations. Susan previously was an ADA at DANY for eight years from 1992 to 2000. Susan will be joining DANY in early February.
Da Alvin Bragg Refuses To Address Adamslaughingstock Criticism
Prosecutors in soft-on-crime Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office are flooding the exits amid his radical shift in policy, The Post has learned.
Braggs controversial Day One memo issued on Jan. 3 told assistant district attorneys to not seek prison sentences for many criminals and to downgrade some felonies to misdemeanors. His leadership has already created a firestorm that has led to an online petition calling for him to be removed.
I know one who was with the office over 20 years who left without a job, said a law enforcement source. They didnt want to work in this kind of office. They wanted to continue prosecuting the law.
Over the past two weeks, at least nine lawyers have quit.
Among the departures is senior trial counsel Joan Illuzzi-Orbon, who successfully prosecuted Harvey Weinstein, and won a 2016 conviction in the infamous 1979 murder of Etan Patz.
Illuzzi-Orbon, a Republican, had been at the office since 1988, taking only a brief leave in 2015 for an unsuccessful run for District Attorney in Staten Island.
Friday was her last day, sources told The Post. She did not return a request for comment.
Also gone is John Irwin, a one-time trial division chief.
Another veteran prosecutor lost her title and was told she would have to work for someone Bragg brought over from the Legal Aid Society, a source said.
A source familiar with the office said none of the departing lawyers had been fired.
He had no answers for me. None, she said.
Read Also: Arrest Records Ny
The Progressive Prosecutor Movement
In the decade since Mr. Vance took office in 2010, views of criminal justice have shifted in many urban centers, transforming elections for local prosecutors.
Activists most prominently those in the Black Lives Matter movement have used social media platforms to raise awareness of police violence, mass incarceration and racial bias in the justice system.
We as a general society are seeing on a larger scale how things like police violence are impacting peoples lives, said Nicole Smith Futrell, a law professor at the City University of New York.
Starting with the election of Kenneth P. Thompson as the Brooklyn district attorney in 2013, voters have rewarded candidates across the country who have focused on prosecutorial and police misconduct.
These politicians often grouped together as progressive prosecutors have included Larry Krasner in Philadelphia, Kim Foxx in Chicago and George Gascón in Los Angeles.
In New York City, Eric Gonzalez, who was elected as Brooklyn district attorney in 2017, said he wanted to lead the most progressive D.A.s office in the country. A former public defender, Tiffany Cabán, who pledged to stop prosecuting low-level crimes, lost the race for Queens district attorney by the slimmest of margins in 2019.