Manhattan DA Works Misdemeanor Call in Effort to Reduce Case Backlog
The top prosecutor in Manhattan scrambled to handle a busy misdemeanor call this morning, making plea deals in minor check forgery cases and reporting grand jury action in petty larcenies in an effort to make a dent in a backlog of cases.
Rookie Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. has called for all of his senior prosecutors to pitch in on the misdemeanor backlog, so he’s doing so himself, too, reports the New York Post.
“It’s an all -hands-on-deck effort to get rid of the backlog in criminal court,” explains a spokeswoman for the DA’s office.
Vance replaced veteran Robert Morgenthau as DA in January, after winning an election to fill the vacancy. Since then, he has been taking a hands-on approach to learning about the work done at the DA’s office, the newspaper notes.
Additional coverage:
New York Times: “District Attorney Tries His Hand at Cutting Into Case Backlog”
City Room (New York Times): “For Top Prosecutor, Court Appearances Are Rare”
Updated on April 9 to link to additional coverage.
