Charles J. Hynes

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Charles J. "Joe" Hynes is the current District Attorney of Kings County, New York. In his childhood, He attended St. Ann's academy in New York, NY (now academic and athletic powerhouse Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, NY)

Now in his fourth term, Hynes was first elected to office in 1989. After working for the Legal Aid Society, he joined the Kings County District Attorney's office in 1969, where he served as an Assistant District Attorney. Two years later he was appointed as Chief of the Rackets Bureau, subsequent to which he was appointed as First Assistant District Attorney.

Hynes was appointed the 24th Fire Commissioner of the City of New York by Mayor Edward I. Koch on November 5, 1980 upon the resignation of Fire Commissioner Augustus A. Beekman, and served in that position until his resignation on October 22, 1982.

Returning to public service several years later, his first major achievement as a head prosecutor would occur in 1987 when he was tasked with investigating the death of Michael Griffith, an African-American teenager who was set upon by a mob of white teens in Howard Beach, Queens.

Hynes managed to secure three homicide convictions against the defendants, who would subsequently be sentenced to prison terms of varying lengths.

He is credited with establishing one of the most comprehensive-and first-countywide programs designed specifically to address domestic abuse as a criminal issue, and with the collaboration of former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani implemented a citywide program to monitor convicted offenders. [1]

Hynes courted controversy when he opened up a criminal investigation into Sandra Roper, who had previously run against him in 2001, earning 35% of the primary vote. [2] The charges against her stemmed from her representation of a former client, Mary Ward. The felony theft charges would eventually be dismissed, after she repaid the client approximately $9,000 and DA Hynes requested that the case be dismissed. [3]

In 2005 he defeated primary challenges from several other opponents, including State Senator John L. Sampson.

The most high-profile case pursued by Charles Hynes to date has been his prosecution of former assemblyman and Kings County Democratic Party chief Clarence Norman Jr., which has resulted in two convictions and one acquittal thus far.

[edit] External links

• Brooklyn District Attorney, Charles J. Hynes
• In Brooklyn, Prosecutor's Race Is Grudge Match
• Hynes Plans To Pursue Norman For A Fourth Time
• Charles Hynes Quotes

Preceded by Augustus A. Beekman	FDNY Commissioner 1980-1982	Succeeded by Joseph E. Spinnato
Preceded by Elizabeth Holtzman	District Attorney - Kings County, New York 1990 – present	Incumbent