Queens County (New York) District Attorney

The Queens County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for Queens County, coterminous with the Borough of Queens, in New York City. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws. (Federal law violations in Queens are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York). The current District Attorney is Richard A. Brown.

History

In a legislative act of February 5, 1796, New York State was divided into seven districts which had each an Assistant Attorney General. Queens County was part of the First District, comprising Kings, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk and Westchester counties, as constituted at the time. In 1801, the office of Assistant Attorney General was renamed District Attorney. at the same time New York County was added to the First District. Westchester County was separated from the First District in 1813, and New York County in 1815. In 1818, all then existing 13 districts were broken up, and each county in the State of New York became a separate district.[1]

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, the D.A. was appointed to a three-year term by the County Court. Under the provisions of the State Constitution of 1846, the office became elective by popular ballot. The term was three years, beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31. In case of a vacancy, the Governor of New York filled the vacancy temporarily until a successor was elected, always to a full term, at the next annual election.[2]

Upon the Consolidation of New York City in 1898, Nassau County was separated from Queens County. In case of a vacancy, a D.A. is appointed by the Governor to fill the office temporarily. A new D.A. is then elected at the next annual election in November, always to a full term. From 1847 to 1942, the term length was three years. In November 1942, a D.A. was elected to a one-year term.[3] Beginning at the election of November 1943; the D.A. has been elected to a four-year term.

List of District Attorneys

District Attorney Took office Left office Party Notes
Nathaniel Lawrence February 16, 1796 July 15, 1797 Dem.-Rep. died
Cadwallader D. Colden January 16, 1798 August 19, 1801 Federalist
Richard Riker August 19, 1801 February 13, 1810 Dem.-Rep.
Cadwallader D. Colden February 13, 1810 February 19, 1811 Federalist
Richard Riker February 19, 1811 April 8, 1815 Dem.-Rep.
Thomas S. Lester April 8, 1815 June 12, 1818
Eliphalet Wickes June 12, 1818 1821 Dem.-Rep.
William T. McCoun 1821 1826
Benjamin F. Thompson 1826 1836
William H. Barroll May 3, 1836 1842
Alexander Hadden 1842 1845 Whig
John G. Lamberson 1845 December 31, 1853 last D.A appointed by the County Court; first D.A. elected by popular ballot in May 1847; total of three terms
William H. Onderdonk January 1, 1854 December 31, 1859 two terms
John J. Armstrong January 1, 1860 December 31, 1865 two terms
Benjamin W. Downing January 1, 1866 October 26, 1883 Democrat removed from office near the end of his sixth term[4]
John Fleming October 27, 1883 December 31, 1886 Democrat appointed to fill vacancy;[5] then elected
Thomas F. McGowan January 1, 1887 May 1887 Democrat until April 15, also Supervisor of the Town of Newtown; left office on April 30, 1887[6]
John Fleming August 1887 December 31, 1893 Democrat appointed to fill vacancy; then elected twice
Daniel Noble January 1, 1894 December 31, 1896
William J. Youngs January 1, 1897 1898 Republican resigned to become Private Secretary to Gov. Theodore Roosevelt
George W. Davison January 2, 1899 December 31, 1899 Republican appointed to fill vacancy[7]
John B. Merrill January 1, 1900 December 31, 1902
George A. Gregg January 1, 1903 December 31, 1905
Ira G. Darrin January 1, 1906 December 31, 1908
Fred G. DeWitt January 1, 1909 December 31, 1911
Matthew J. Smith January 1, 1912 December 31, 1914
Denis O'Leary January 1, 1915 December 31, 1920 Ind. Dem./Rep. two terms
Dana Wallace January 1, 1921 December 31, 1923 Republican
Richard S. Newcombe January 1, 1924 December 31, 1929
James T. Hallinan January 1, 1930 1932
Charles S. Colden February 1932 January 7, 1935 appointed to fill vacancy; then elected; the appointed as County Judge of Queens[8]
Charles P. Sullivan January 1935 December 31, 1951 appointed to fill vacancy; then elected five times
T. Vincent Quinn January 1, 1952 December 31, 1955 Democrat
Frank D. O'Connor January 1, 1956 1965 Democrat during his third term, on November 2, 1965, elected President of the New York City Council
Nat H. Hentel 1966 December 31, 1966 Republican appointed to fill vacancy
Thomas J. Mackell January 1, 1967 April 23, 1973 Democrat resigned during his second term[9]
Michael F. Armstrong May 9, 1973 December 31, 1973 appointed to fill vacancy[10]
Nicholas Ferraro January 1, 1974 December 31, 1976 Democrat on November 1976, elected to the New York Supreme Court
John J. Santucci 1977 June 1, 1991 Democrat appointed to fill vacancy; then elected four times; then resigned[11]
Richard A. Brown June 1, 1991 incumbent Democrat appointed to fill vacancy; then elected several times

References

  1. The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 366f and 379; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
  2. Courts and Lawyers of New York: A History, 1609-1925 by Alden Chester & Edwin Melvin Williams (The American Historical Society, 1935; Vol. 1, pg. 964)
  3. Rules on Queens Election in the New York Times on October 15, 1942 (subscription required)
  4. MR. DOWNING REMOVED in the New York Times on October 27, 1883
  5. DOWNING DETERMINED TO RUN in the New York Times on October 28, 1883
  6. McGowan had appropriated about $19,500 from town funds, and claimed to have lost the money speculating on the stock-exchange. When the shortage became known to his successor in the office of Supervisor, a Republican, he fled to Canada; see LEFT A BIG SHORTAGE in the New York Times on May 2, 1887; and THE OLD SURETIES GOOD in the New York Times on May 3, 1887
  7. TWO NEW DISTRICT ATTORNEYS in the New York Times on January 3, 1899
  8. COLDEN, BRANCATO NAMED AS JUDGES in the New York Times on January 8, 1935 (subscription required)
  9. MACKELL RESIGNS IN FACE OF MOVE TO FORCE HIM OUT in the New York Times on April 24, 1973 (subscription required)
  10. Governor Appoints Armstrong as New Queens D.A. in the New York Times on May 10, 1973 (subscription required)
  11. Santucci Is Retiring as the Queens District Attorney in the New York Times on May 2, 1991