As authorities in New
York City continue to investigate a string of possible antigay
bias attacks, a candidate for Manhattan district attorney says
that, if elected to the top prosecutor's job, he would create a
unit focused on hate crimes prosecution and prevention in a
"forceful and directed way."
Cyrus Vance Jr., a
former Manhattan assistant district attorney now in private
practice, spoke with Advocate.com on Friday about his proposal
to improve the prosecution of hate crimes while increasing
prevention and education efforts.
"When a potential
instance of bias or hate crime occurs, I think it's very
important to have the office have a unit and team of attorneys
with specific expertise working right from the start with
police, first of all, to build the case toward a successful
prosecution if a crime has been committed, and if a crime has
not been committed, to come to a quick conclusion," said
Vance.
"When the incidents,
for example, occurred in the last five days, are now being
worked up by the NYPD, we should have a team within the D.A.'s
office helping the NYPD build those cases, executing search
warrants where necessary, and interviews, focusing with an eye
toward what's going to be necessary toward achieving successful
prosecution," he said.
In recent weeks,
according to an alert issued by the
New York City
Anti-Violence Project
, six violent attacks were reported in the Upper East Side
neighborhood, three of which are being investigated by the NYPD
as possible hate crimes. Antigay slurs reportedly were used in
at least two of the incidents. The crimes follow the release of
the 2008 Hate Violence Report by the National Coalition of
Anti-Violence Programs, which showed an
increasing severity
in hate crimes in New York City.
Vance said that his
proposal for a hate-crimes unit, which has the support of AVP,
places emphasis on prevention and education, in addition to
prosecution. His plan also includes enhanced community outreach
and a bias summit that would bring together law enforcement
officials and other community actors to study the patterns of
hate violence.
"I think it's incumbent upon the D.A.'s office in
areas like hate crimes to work actively with our community
affairs groups, for outreach and education to communities --
whether it's the church community, the LGBT
community, high schools, after-school care -- to start having
awareness about these kinds of biases and to make the D.A.'s
office part of the crime prevention strategy," he
said.
Manhattan district
attorney hopefuls are aggressively courting the LGBT community
in the competitive race, prompted by the retirement of
incumbent district attorney Robert Morgenthau after 35
years in office. Vance, who has secured the backing of his
former boss Morgenthau and feminist leader Gloria Steinem,
among others, will face former prosecutor Richard
Aborn and former judge Leslie Crocker Snyder in the Democratic
primary in September. Aborn, Snyder, and Vance each have won
endorsements from gay and lesbian political clubs in New York
City.
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