Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson is raiding the offices of fellow prosecutors — trying to steal their best and brightest lawyers as he works to erase the tarnished legacy left by his predecessor.
Queens Assistant DA Patrick O’Connor was in the middle of a high-profile murder trial recently when asked if he would consider working in Brooklyn.
He was eventually hired there with a big promotion — he’s the new deputy chief of the Gang Homicides Bureau.
O’Connor, a Harvard grad who worked in Queens for 19 years, said, “It’s good to get in on the ground floor. Everyone is fresh and starting fresh.”
Charles Hynes’ 24 years as Brooklyn DA were marked by numerous claims of prosecutorial misconduct.
In one notorious scandal, Rackets Bureau Chief Michael Vecchione was accused of coercing witnesses to testify, using the testimony of a cop whose integrity was widely questioned, and failing to turn over evidence to the defense.
Thompson’s new recruits include:
- Veteran Manhattan Assistant DA Leroy Frazer Jr., who is now chief of staff in Brooklyn
- The former deputy chief of the Sex Crimes Unit in Manhattan, Coleen Balbert. as chief of the Sex Crimes unit.
- Former director of the DNA Prosecution Unit in The Bronx, Rachel Singer. She is now chief of a new Forensic Science Unit in Brooklyn.
- A former supervisor in the state Attorney General’s Office, Felice Sontupe, who is now chief of Thompson’s newly formed Frauds Bureau.
Thompson has also reached out to practicing lawyers and law professors.
Harvard prof Ronald Sullivan is now chief of the revamped Conviction Review Unit.
Lawyers Bernard Nussbaum, Jennifer Rogers and Gary Villanueva will assist him.