DA CANDIDATE LUCY LANG ANNOUNCES PLAN TO ESTABLISH INDEPENDENT OMBUDSMAN POSITION IN MANHATTAN DA’S OFFICE TO ADDRESS ALLEGATIONS OF PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT
Lang To Create Consistent, Transparent, & Accessible Process For Reviewing Prosecutorial Misconduct
January 6, 2021
Today, Manhattan District Attorney Candidate Lucy announced a plan to establish an independent ombudsman position within the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to address all allegations of prosecutorial misconduct. Lucy firmly believes that any case of prosecutorial misconduct is antithetical to the District Attorney’s obligation to the community, precludes justice, and undermines trust in the system. It jeopardizes the safety of all New Yorkers.
Currently, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office handles allegations of prosecutorial misconduct on an ad hoc basis – a process that is opaque and inaccessible to the public. As part of her plan, Lucy will establish the position of Prosecutorial Ombudsman – whose name and contact information will be publicized – and appoint an independent lawyer to the position. The Prosecutorial Ombudsman will be responsible for receiving, reviewing, and appropriately addressing all allegations of misconduct by prosecutors, including anonymous allegations, and will create a simple and secure method for complaints to be lodged.
“Bringing real, transformative change to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office begins with holding prosecutors accountable to the communities we swear an oath to protect,” said Manhattan District Attorney Candidate Lucy Lang. “As the next Manhattan District Attorney, I’m committed to transparency and ensuring all allegations of prosecutorial misconduct are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. Unethical or illegal conduct by prosecutors will simply not be tolerated.”
As Manhattan District Attorney, Lucy will:
Establish the position of Prosecutorial Ombudsman, whose name and contact information will be publicized, to investigate allegations of unethical or illegal conduct by prosecutors. Lucy will appoint an independent lawyer to the position.
Create a consistent, transparent process for receiving, reviewing, and appropriately addressing allegations of prosecutorial misconduct, including anonymous allegations, whether they come from DAs, ADAs, judges, crime victims, people charged with crimes, other agencies, or office staff. The Prosecutorial Ombudsman will establish a simple and secure method for complaints to be lodged.
The Prosecutorial Ombudsman will be empowered to:
Investigate allegations of prosecutorial misconduct lodged against any lawyer in the District Attorney’s Office, including the District Attorney and her senior staff
Issue reports for any matter referred to the office, in compliance with governing law and ethical standards; the issuance of such reports will be in the discretion of the Prosecutorial Ombudsman and will not require District Attorney review or approval
Lodge ethics complaints with the New York State Bar Association
Refer individual lawyers to the District Attorney for discipline or dismissal
To learn more about Lucy’s priorities, visit her plans page.