No matter who wins the Sept. 15 Democratic primary, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office is in for some significant changes.
That, at least, is one possible conclusion to be drawn from the responses to a Law Journal questionnaire of the three contenders to replace Robert M. Morgenthau, 90, who will retire at the end of the year after 36 years in office.
See the candidates' full responses to the questionnaire.
The choice is important to Manhattan residents but has ramifications beyond the borough. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office, first under Frank Hogan and then under Mr. Morgenthau, has been a model for prosecutors nationwide.
The contenders are Richard M. Aborn, 57, a managing partner at Constantine Cannon; Leslie Crocker Snyder, 67, a partner at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman; and Cyrus R. Vance Jr., 55, a partner at Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Iason, Anello & Bohrer.
The three candidates have been respectful of Mr. Morgenthau's legacy, but all offer policies that clearly signal their intention to do things differently.
Mr. Aborn, for example, says Mr. Morgenthau has been "a great public servant," but says that his retirement presents "a unique moment to think about a revised vision for our criminal justice system."
Mr. Vance, whom Mr. Morgenthau has endorsed, praises his former boss' stewardship but promises "the vision and expertise to adopt to new challenges."
Notably, in a campaign where all the contenders have been eager to claim the mantle of a "progressive," the candidates share many ideas. Among them are increased emphasis on drug treatment and other alternatives to incarceration; the establishment of specialty courts; targeting domestic violence and hate crimes; and measures to prevent wrongful convictions.
Of course, it is uncertain how many of these changes can be implemented, particularly in a time of scarce resources.
The candidates pledge to beef up technology, apply for grants, tap forfeited funds and shift resources. "We can do more with existing resources," says Ms. Snyder. Prosecutors "try few cases and can use their time more productively."
Rank-and-file voters may have difficulty distinguishing the nuances of the candidates' policy proposals, so the three have taken pains to highlight aspects of their experience and training that quality them to lead an office with 454 lawyers and 754 staff that recorded almost 34,000 criminal convictions last year.
A veteran of the fight for gun control who has served as a consultant to criminal justice agencies, Mr. Aborn says he is "the only candidate building coalitions and turning ideas into action." And he says that, by virtue of his law firm role, he is the only candidate who has served in "a managerial role"
Mr. Vance says he is "uniquely qualified" to serve as district attorney because he is "the only candidate who has spent my entire career as an advocate in the courtroom, both as a prosecutor and a defense attorney." He adds that he has considerable experience in managing complex cases.
Ms. Snyder explains that after working 35 years in "virtually every aspect of Manhattan's criminal justice system," she knows it "inside out. I know what works and what doesn't work."
Answers to the Law Journal's questionnaire begin on page 9 of the print edition of today's Law Journal.
