Maritza Mejia-Ming named chief of staff at Brooklyn DA’s office

Four new members added to DA's office executive team

June 20, 2018 By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Once head of the Immigrant Fraud Unit under former DA Ken Thompson (center), Maritza Mejia-Ming (left) will now become No. 2 in the office under DA Eric Gonzalez (right). Eagle file photo by Rob Abruzzese

Share this:

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced on Tuesday that he has made some big changes to his executive team as he has promoted Maritza Mejia-Ming to chief of staff and will add four new members to the executive team.

The four new members include Nancy Hoppock, an assistant deputy commissioner at NYPD, who will serve as chief assistant district attorney; Tali Farhadian Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor and law professor, who was appointed General Counsel; Meg Reiss, executive director at the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, who will take over as Director of Social Justice; and Jill Harris, formerly of the ACLU, the Drug Policy Alliance and the Legal Aid Society, will continue her role as policy and strategy counsel.

“I am committed to keeping Brooklyn safe and strengthening community trust in the criminal justice system — and these new members of my team will help in achieving these goals,” Gonzalez said. “They bring a wealth of diverse experience and fresh perspectives from the courtroom, law enforcement, academia and the advocacy community so I have no doubt that they will serve as great assets for the DA’s Office and for the people of Brooklyn.”

Ming was formerly counsel to the district attorney and has been with the office for more than 20 years. She replaces Leroy Frazer Jr., who is retiring after 37 years in public office, including the last four with the DA’s Office.

Renee Gregory and Joseph Alexis have also gotten new jobs. Gregory as the chief diversity officer, who will be tasked with designing and implementing diversity initiatives designed to maintain a diverse office. Alexis has been named executive assistant district attorney in charge of the Trial Division. He will supervise the trial zones, homicide and cold case bureaus and court operations.

The new additions appear aimed at implementing reforms that Gonzalez has promised through his Justice 2020 Initiative. For instance, Harris joined the DA’s Office in November and has been serving as the director of the initiative and advises the DA on drug policy, bail reform and other issues.

Reiss was executive director at the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution at John Jay College and is tasked with making sure the office pursues as many non-jail dispositions as possible.

In addition, Hoppock was executive director of the NYU Center on the Administration of Criminal Law where she worked on best practices in the criminal justice system and established and ran a federal clemency project.