Gov. Cuomo announced Monday that he will not unseat acting Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez, who was appointed to the job by Kenneth Thompson just days before he lost his battle with colorectal cancer.
Brooklyn politicos had speculated that Cuomo might push out Gonzalez — who was Thompson’s second-in-command and has worked as a Brooklyn prosecutor for nearly 20 years — in favor of Public Advocate Letitia James, but Cuomo put those notions to rest.
“The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office will continue to be led by Chief Assistant District Attorney Eric Gonzalez,” the governor wrote in a statement. “While we continue to mourn the loss of District Attorney Kenneth Thompson, the important work of the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office does not cease.
Thompson worked “tirelessly” to “advance justice and treat everyone and every case with utmost integrity,” the announcement continued. “We must continue that work without interruption or delay.”
“His focus on proving innocence as well as proving guilty set a new precedent,” Cuomo wrote. “His legacy should be the continuation of that model, and his selection of the person who should run the office in his absence — his number two — should be honored.”
The decision comes after the Kings County Criminal Bar Association, in addition to the Puerto Rican Bar Association, petitioned Cuomo to let Gonzalez serve until the upcoming election, in November 2017.
“Brooklyn could not be more fortunate than to have such an experienced and highly regarded career prosecutor to lead the DA’s office at this difficult time,” Kings County Criminal Bar Association President Michael Farkas told The Post. “The Criminal Bar looks forward to supporting Eric Gonzalez as he continues the great work of the late DA Ken Thompson.”
Farkas has previously called Gonzalez “literally perfect” for the position, adding “there may be no one who would be more qualified to run the office at a time like this.”
Other former prosecutors who worked alongside Gonzalez have also lauded his appointment as acting DA.
“Brooklyn is in good hands with Gonzalez, the office knows that, and the people should know that too,” said defense attorney Ken Montgomery, who worked with Gonzalez in the late 90s.
“[Gonzalez] has been well-thought of within the office from the start,” added defense attorney Michael Cibella, a prosecutor during the same time period. “He works hard, he’s a great supervisor, and he treats people fairly.”
“I am deeply honored to be able to carry out District Attorney Thompson’s vision of equal justice for all in Brooklyn and I pledge to continue his criminal justice reforms,” Gonzalez said in a statement. “I am fully committed to the important initiatives that we have put in place and will work every day to keep the people of Brooklyn safe. I thank Governor Cuomo for having the faith in me to carry on the important work of this Office.”
The new DA also announced via inter-office memo Monday that Leroy Frazer Jr. and Mark Feldman, “two of [the office’s] most sage and seasoned attorneys,” will be taking on some of the duties Gonzalez had as Chief ADA.
Thompson was laid to rest in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, where he grew up, on Saturday. He was 50 years old.