Consideration of who should sit in a chair that’s held but one backside for the entirety of my legal career, plus, comes from both the perspective of the citizen as well as criminal defense lawyer.  The New York County District Attorney’s office is an impressive animal, both from the excellent quality of its staff as well as its internal integrity.  I’ve fought with these guys for over 25 years, and while it hasn’t always been perfect, it’s been by far the best I’ve dealt with. 

Filling Robert Morgenthau’s shoes is not going to be easy.  He’s been a towering figure, as was his predecessor, Frank Hogan.  There are many who wear the “tough on crime” mantle, and would use the office to pander to the fears of New Yorkers, but few who have the fortitude to both do the job demanded of the person who can almost see Wall Street from the very large office, but do it with the level of integrity and self-restraint shown by Morgenthau, as well as improve its fairness based upon what we’ve come to know about a flawed system and the handling of such awesome power.

Cyrus Vance, Jr., is the right person for the job.

All New Yorkers look to the DA to fulfill his duty to protect them from crime.  Even criminal defense lawyers seek an effective prosecutor, as much as some might not appreciate that we walk the street too, and have no desire to be anyone’s victim.  But everyone wants to be a crime-fighter, so that claim offers little to the mix that we couldn’t find elsewhere.

It’s Cy’s broader vision, his understanding that insensitivity to the cultural differences amongst New Yorkers, blind faith and support for police that leads to abuse, misconduct and deception, that undermines a willing adherence to the law and a city dedicated to fairness for all. 

Some years ago, it was the strength and integrity of Robert Morgenthau’s Official Corruption Bureau Chief that led me to bring information about abuse and corruption within the 30th Precinct. Recognizing the depth of the problem, and accepting the premise that only from defendants would he learn what the cops were really doing on the street, this generated the investigation that led to the Dirty 30 scandal.  It’s this concern for integrity that can’t be lost in the zeal to be “tough on crime.”  Morgenthau had it.  Cy Vance has it as well.

What makes me say this?  Check out Cy’s position on fair convictions.  He’s not merely aware of the wealth of issue surrounding bad IDs, junk science and  false confessions, but he’s determined to put an end to the conviction of the innocent, “just because they can.”  Cy realizes that wrongful convictions are a societal disaster, and has shown the guts to acknowledge that they happen and that it’s his job to do something about it.

If this wasn’t enough, just yesterday Cy did something that blew my socks off.  He publicly announced his endorsement by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld of the Innocence Project.  My enormous admiration for Barry’s and Peter’s work aside, the fact that Cy is proud of his support beyond the “usual suspects” speaks volumes. 

I could offer reasons why I have issues with Cy’s opponents for the office, but there’s no need to go negative about them.  My endorsement of Cy Vance isn’t based on his being merely better than other, less worthy candidates.  I endorse Cy Vance because he’s the right person for District Attorney, no matter who else is running.  Cyrus Vance, Jr. is the right person to fill Robert Morgenthau’s shoes.