Abinanti Bill Gives AG Sole Power To Probe Police Crimes

MOUNT PLEASANT, N.Y. – Assemblyman Tom Abinanti, D-Greenburgh/Mount Pleasant, is proposing legislation that would give New York’s attorney general exclusive authority to investigate and prosecute alleged crimes by police officers whether it’s connected to the performance of the officers’ regular duties or not.

Nicole Briggs

12/10/2014 5:00 a.m.

“There is an appearance of a conflict of interest – if not an inherent actual conflict of interest – every time a local district attorney is called on to handle a matter against a local police officer with whom the DA must work in the normal course of their duties,” said Abinanti. “The present law giving the governor discretion to take matters from a local DA and give it to the attorney general is not enough.”

The assemblyman says that the need for a re-examination of the justice system will allow an opportunity to make changes that should have been made in the past.

“The public must have confidence that the criminal justice system is fair and free of bias,” Abinanti said.

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