Bronx County District Attorney

The Bronx County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for Bronx County, coterminous with the Borough of the Bronx, in New York City. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws. (Federal law in the Bronx is prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York). The current Bronx County District Attorney is Darcel Clark.

History

In a legislative act of February 5, 1796, New York State was divided into seven districts, each with an Assistant Attorney General, except for New York County, where Attorney General Josiah Ogden Hoffman prosecuted personally until 1801.[1]

From 1801 to 1813, New York County was part of the First District, which included the counties of New York, Suffolk, Queens, Kings, Richmond and Westchester (now comprising the area of Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, Staten Island, Westchester and Suffolk). In 1813, Westchester County was redistricted to a new district with Rockland and Putnam counties. In 1815, New York County became the Twelfth District, at the time the only one consisting of a single county. In 1818, all 13 districts were divided, and every county in the State of New York became a separate district.

Until 1822, the district attorney was appointed by the Council of Appointment, and held the office "during the Council's pleasure", meaning that there was no defined term of office. Under the provisions of the State Constitution of 1821, district attorneys were appointed to three-year terms by the Courts of General Sessions.[1]

Under the provisions of the State Constitution of 1846, the office became elected by popular ballot.[1] The term was three years, beginning January 1 and ending December 31. Vacancies were filled by the Governor of New York until a successor was elected to a full term, at the next annual election. Acting District Attorneys were appointed by Courts of General Sessions pending the governor's action.

From 1874 to 1895, New York County included Manhattan and the West Bronx, the latter also known as the "Annexed District." New York County expanded in 1895 to include all of today's New York and Bronx Counties.[2] The Consolidation Charter of 1896 extended the term of the incumbent John R. Fellows, who had been elected in 1893 to a three-year term from January 1, 1894 to December 31, 1896, by an extra year. Since the city elections of 1897, the district attorneys' terms have coincided with the Mayor's terms and have been four years.[3] In case of a vacancy, a special election is held for the remainder of the term.

When Bronx County was created on January 1, 1914, Francis W. Martin, who had been elected the previous November, became district attorney.[4] His initial salary was $10,000.[5]

List of Bronx County District Attorneys

District Attorney Dates in office Party Notes
Francis W. Martin January 1, 1914 – December 31, 1920 Democratic
Edward J. Glennon January 1, 1921 – December 31, 1921 (appointed)
January 1, 1922 – December 31, 1923 (elected)		 Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Al Smith[6]
  • resigned to become a New York State Supreme Court justice[7]
John E. McGeehan January 1, 1924 – December 31, 1925 (appointed)
January 1, 1926 – December 24, 1929 (elected)		 Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Al Smith[7]
  • resigned to become a New York State Supreme Court justice[8]
Charles B. McLaughlin January 1, 1930[9] – March 17, 1933 Democratic
  • resigned to become a New York State Supreme Court justice[10][11]
Samuel J. Foley March 22, 1933 – December 31, 1933 (appointed)
January 1, 1934 – December 29, 1949 (elected)		 Democratic
  • appointed by Governor Herbert Lehman[12][13]
  • ran on the Democratic and Recovery Party lines in his first election,[14] but had been a Democrat
  • won a Bronx County court judgeship election in November 1949[15]
George B. DeLuca January 1, 1950 – December 31, 1954 Democratic
  • resigned upon taking office as Lieutenant Governor of New York[16]
Daniel V. Sullivan January 1, 1955 – December 31, 1955 (appointed)
January 1, 1956 – December 31, 1959 (elected)		 Democratic
Isidore Dollinger January 1, 1960 – September 18, 1968 Democratic
  • resigned to accept a nomination to run for a New York State Supreme Court judge position[18]
Burton B. Roberts September 18, 1968 – November 7, 1968 (acting)
November 7, 1968 – December 31, 1968 (appointed)
January 1, 1969 – September 16, 1972 (elected)
September 16, 1972 – December 31, 1972 (appointed)		 Democratic, Republican, Liberal
  • became acting District attorney upon Dollinger's resignation[18]
  • appointed by Governor Nelson Rockefeller[19]
  • nominated by three Bronx County parties' committees for his initial election,[18] but had been a Democrat[19]
  • resigned to accept a nomination to run for a New York State Supreme Court judge position but re-appointed by Rockefeller for continuity of investigations until he was succeeded[20][21]
Mario Merola January 1, 1973 – October 27, 1987 Democratic, Republican, Liberal, Conservative
  • nominated by four Bronx County parties' committees for his initial election,[20][22] but had been a Democrat[21]
  • died in office[23]

Paul T. Gentile

 October 27, 1987 – December 10, 1987 (acting)
December 10, 1987 – December 31, 1988 (appointed)		 Democratic
  • became acting district Attorney after Merola's unexpected death[23]
  • appointed by Governor Mario Cuomo to a one-year term[24]
Robert T. Johnson January 1, 1989 – December 31, 2015 Democratic, Liberal, Conservative
  • won his initial primary election running on three party lines,[25] but had been a Democrat
  • resigned to accept a nomination to run for a New York State Supreme Court judge position[26]
Darcel D. Clark January 1, 2016 – current Democratic
  • nominated by the Bronx Democratic County Committee[27]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Chester, Alden; Weeks, Lyman Horace; Dougherty, John Hampden (1911). Legal and Judicial History of New York. National Americana Society.
  2. ↑ Geoffrey Hermalyn and Lloyd Ultan, "Bronx" in The Encyclopedia of New York City (1st edition), edited by Kenneth T. Jackson, New York Historical Society and Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut, 1995, ISBN 0-300-05536-6, page 140.
  3. ↑ except for 1901 to 1905, when two mayors served two-year terms.
  4. ↑ "Bronx Officials Appoint - Nearly Every Place Getter on City or State Payroll Now". New York Times. December 31, 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "The City Record - Official Journal of the City of New York". XLII (IX). September 1914: 7431. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Names Talley Judge Of General Sessions - Governor Smith Also Appoints Edward J. Glennon Bronx District Attorney - G.W. Martin County Judge - All the Appointees Allied With Tammany Hall - Talley's Selection Not Expected". New York Times. December 29, 1920. p. 16. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Smith Names Crain for the Supreme Court; Olvany Succeeds Him in General Sessions". New York Times. January 2, 1924. p. 1. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "McGeehan Is Sworn In - Retiring Bronx Prosecutor Takes Oath as Supreme Court Justice". New York Times. December 25, 1929. p. 20. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "Farley Made Sheriff Before His 122 Aides - McLaughlin Goes in as Bronx Prosecutor, Pledging War on Crime - No Changes by Moran". New York Times. January 2, 1930. p. 11. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "McLaughlin Takes Bench Today". New York Times. March 16, 1933. p. 17. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "McLaughlin Takes Oath - Joins Bronx Supreme Court as Hundreds Crowd Court Room". New York Times. March 17, 1933. p. 17. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "S.J. Foley Named Bronx Prosecutor - Assistant District Attorney Selected to Fill Post Left by McLaughlin - Pledges War On Rackets - Official Who Helped End Building Troubles in 1929 Promises New Fight on Crime". New York Times. March 22, 1933. p. 15. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "Foley Inducted in Bronx". New York Times. March 23, 1933. p. 17. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  14. ↑ "List of Candidates Who Will Be on Ballots in Municipal Election Nov. 7". New York Times. November 5, 1933. p. 2N. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  15. ↑ "Rogers In City Job With Mayor's Help - Former Tammany Leader and Ex-Borough President Gets $10,000-a-Year Post". New York Times. December 31, 1949. p. 5. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  16. 1 2 "Sullivan Bronx Prosecutor". New York Times. January 1, 1955. p. 6. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  17. ↑ Amper, Richard (January 2, 1955). "2 Hitches Mark Swearing-In Rite - Javits Raises His Left Hand and Abrams, Rent Official, Misses Main Ceremony". New York Times. p. 58. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 Ronan, Thomas P. (September 19, 1968). "Roberts Nominated for Bronx District Attorney - Three Parties Endorse Him to Succeed Dollinger - His Chief Resigns to Run for State Supreme Court". New York Times. p. 35. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  19. 1 2 "Bronx Prosecutor Appointed". New York Times. Associated Press. November 8, 1968. p. 52. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  20. 1 2 Van Gelder, Lawrence (September 28, 1972). "Merola Is Designated to Seek Post as Bronx District Attorney". New York Times. p. 51. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  21. 1 2 Andelman, David A. (January 2, 1973). "New Prosecutor in Bronx to Seek A 'Cooperative Effort' With Nadjari". New York Times. p. 31. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  22. ↑ Shipler, David K. (November 8, 1972). "Democrats Lead in Races For 28 Judgeships Here". New York Times. p. 32. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  23. 1 2 Barron, James (October 28, 1987). "Mario Merola, 65, Prosecutor In the Bronx for 15 Years, Dies". New York Times. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  24. ↑ Howe Verhovek, Sam (December 11, 1987). "Man In The News - New District Attorney for the Bronx: Paul Thomas Gentile". New York Times. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  25. ↑ Howe Verhovek, Sam (September 16, 1988). "Ex-Judge Wins in the Bronx In Vote for District Attorney". New York Times. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  26. ↑ Mueller, Benjamin (September 19, 2015). "Robert Johnson, Bronx District Attorney, Says He Wants to Become a State Judge". New York Times. p. A15. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  27. ↑ "Bronx District Attorney Candidate Defends Her Nomination by Democratic Leaders". New York Times. 2015-10-01. Retrieved 2016-01-11.
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