District Attorney Thompson explains his position on special prosecutor
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order on Wednesday that appointed Attorney General Eric Schneiderman as a special prosecutor in cases involving people who have been killed by the police. What that means for Brooklyn is that District Attorney Ken Thompson loses power — a move he’s not too fond of, but one he understands is for the greater good.
“I understand that folks in not just the city, but across the country, are losing faith and losing trust in our criminal justice system, so I get it,” Thompson said during a Q&A at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism on Thursday. “I also believe that the people of Brooklyn shouldn’t be denied their prosecutor in being able to bring those cases.”
Thompson came out strongly against the idea when it was first floated in December, but seems to have softened his stance a bit since his initial reaction, especially after hearing who Schneiderman appointed to the new Special Investigations and Prosecutions Unit — Alvin Bragg, a former assistant U.S. attorney in Manhattan.