Street co-named in honor of the late Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson
By Nelson A. King
Brooklyn District Attorney
Eric Gonzalez on Saturday
announced that a portion of
Jay Street between Willoughby
Street and Tech Place, which
stretches between the Brooklyn
DA’s Office and Brooklyn
Supreme Court, has been
named District Attorney Kenneth
P. Thompson Way in honor
of the late district attorney who
passed away five years ago.
Gonzalez said Thompson,
the first African American DA
in Brooklyn, had put in place
“transformative reforms and
radical changes to the criminal
justice system.”
The resolution to rename
the street was co-sponsored
by Council Members Stephen
Levin and Laurie Cumbo.
“The Great Ken Thompson
had a bold vision of what Brooklyn
could be, and I am proud to
have known him as a mentor
and friend,” Gonzalez said.
“He was the first of what has
become a wave of progressive
prosecutors across the country
and the reforms he enacted –
such as the Conviction Review
Unit, marijuana decriminalization
and the Young Adult
Court – have had an impact far
beyond Brooklyn.
“Ken’s commitment to safety,
equity and fundamental
fairness continue to guide me
and our office, and having this
street co-named after him will
serve as a daily reminder of
these bedrock principles that
guided him – and continue
to guide us today,” Gonzalez
added.
Lu-Shawn Thompson,
Ken’s widow, said, “There are
no words to express how I
feel right now. I know Kenny
would have been so proud and
happy to have seen the street
directly in front of his former
office named in his honor. My
children will have yet another
example of the legacy and
impact of their father. Through
their father, they will know
what it means to have a well
lived life.”
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries
said, “Ken Thompson was
a groundbreaking district attorney
who elevated the integrity
and fairness of the criminal
justice system in Kings County
to unprecedented heights.
“He was a transformational
figure in the fight for criminal
justice reform nationally and a
staunch defender of the safety
You Can Lose Up To 20-30lbs in 45 Days!!
Caribbean L 30 ife, OCTOBER 15-21, 2021
Brooklyn DA, Eric Gonzalez, third from left, with Brooklyn Borough President and Democratic
Mayoral nominee Eric Adams and Kenneth Thompson’s widow, Lu-Shawn Thompson
and other offi cials. Offi ce of Brooklyn District Attorney
and security of Brooklynites
at home,” said the congressman,
who represents the 8th
Congressional District, encompassing
parts of Brooklyn and
Queens. “I thank everyone who
made this street co-naming
possible and applaud all the
individuals who are carrying
the legacy of my friend forward.”
Council Member Levin said,
“I am honored to be here today
in remembrance of a great
man. We gather here – with
friends, family, community
leaders, elected officials – for
the co-naming of Jay Street as
District Attorney Kenneth P.
Thompson Way.
“Ken was a fighter all the
way,” he added, stating that
Thompson entered New York
City government at a time
when he was most needed.
“In the face of racial injustices
and a myriad of challenging
problems facing our
city, he brought with him his
expertise, candor, professionalism
and vigor to a role in which
he could be a public servant in
the truest sense of the word,”
Free Consultation-
GET STARTED TODAY!!!
From Your HOME or OFFICE!!
917.444.3043
www.elitehealthcenternyc.com
2020
BEST MEDICAL
N Q R
F
4 5 7
BXM1 M102 M103 WEIGHT LOSS
/www.elitehealthcenternyc.com
/www.elitehealthcenternyc.com
