DA Brown won’t seek re-election
BY BILL PARRY
Queens District Attorney
Richard Brown announced
Wednesday that he will not
seek an eighth term in the
office he has held since Gov.
Mario Cuomo appointed him
in June 1991.
In the ensuing years,
Brown elevated the Queens
district attorney’s office to be
“without a shadow of a doubt
… the best prosecutor’s office
in this great nation,” but at
age 85 and in failing health,
he had been rumored by
court-watchers to step away
for some time.
“After almost six decades
in public service, the last
27 years spent as District
Attorney of Queens County,
and after careful thought and
consideration, I have made
the decision to finish out my
current term and not seek reelection,”
Brown said in a Jan. 9
statement. “It has been an honor
and a privilege to have served
the people of Queens County
— the most ethnically diverse
county in the world — for these
many years as district attorney.
I am greatly appreciative and
humbled to have had the trust
and confidence that they have
expressed in me by electing me
to seven full terms in office,
and in the process, making
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown announced he would not
seek another term in office. File Photo
me the longest serving district
attorney in Queens County
history.”
Prior to his appointment
in 1991, Brown had been a
member of the state judiciary.
In November 1977, Brown
was elected a Justice of the
Supreme Court in Queens
County and in 1982 we was
designated by Governor Hugh
Carey as an Associate Justice
of the Appellate Division.
“When I was first appointed
District Attorney by then
Governor Cuomo in 1991, one of
my chief goals was to elevate the
standards of professionalism in
the office by hiring people on
merit, not political connections,”
Brown said. “Without question,
we have overwhelmingly
achieved that goal. Whatever
success I have attained over the
years is due in large measure to
the fact that from the beginning
I have surrounded myself with
the most talented, capable
and dedicated professionals
imaginable — men and women
of exceptional ability and
commitment.”
Brown thanked his staff for
their loyalty and service and
thanked his partners in law
enforcement for contributing
to the city’s historic reduction
in serious crime.
“Apart, however, from
our historic reductions in
violent crime and auto theft
to name but a few, I am proud
of our many innovations that
have improved not only our
criminal justice system, but
our entire community,” Brown
said. “I am grateful that the
many specialty courts we
pioneered — like having one of
the State’s first Drug Courts,
as well as Mental Health Court
and Veterans Court — have
enjoyed enduring success and
have been duplicated around
the nation.”
Brown also praised other
programs such as the Queens
Court Academy, where young
offenders are not only spared
incarceration, but are given
the chance to complete high
school and avoid rearrest.
The Queens Treatment
Intervention Program or QTIP,
to address the scourge of the
opioid crisis, and he is proud
of institutional technological
changes that allow the office to
process arrests more quickly.
“We have been a leading
advocate for improvements in
criminal justice legislation,
including measures to
ensure the recordings of
interrogations, enhanced
identification procedures
and for the sealing of old
convictions,” Brown said. “As
I finish my tenure as Queens
District Attorney, I will
continue to seek innovations
to help all of our 2.5 million
residents and ensure that I
leave my office dedicated to the
standard of excellence which
has been our hallmark.”
City Councilman Rory
Lancman, retired Queens
Supreme Court Justice
Gregory Lasak and Queens
Borough President Melinda
Katz have announced they will
run to replace. Brown and his
wife Rhoda have three children
and two grandchildren.
“While it is difficult to say
goodbye, I am comforted by the
knowledge that I leave a legacy
of accomplishment, excellence
and government at its best, for
which anyone can be proud,”
Brown said. “On behalf of my
entire family, I offer my best
wishes and warmest thanks.”
Jamaica author stresses value of college education
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
South Jamaica hip-hop
artist and author Roberto
Torres — also known as Sabor
Latino — is the spreading
the importance of a college
education in his new fourth
book entitled, “My Alma
Mater Lehman College,”
debuting in February.
“My Alma Mater Lehman
College” includes some of
Torres’ detailed observations
during his time in graduate
school at Lehman College —
located at 250 Bedford Park
Blvd W. in the Bronx.
Torres believes his new
book will inspire many
individuals around the world
to go back to school and
understand the value of a
college education.
“Life is what you make it,
work hard and never give up
on your dreams,” said Torres,
who graduated from Lehman
College with a master’s
degree in Education and a
minor in Administration in
January 2017.
“I want people to
understand the importance
of education,” Torres said.
“Yes, it’s very difficult
whether it’s your bachelors
or masters degree…but if I
can do it, they can do it too
because they’ll be able to
bring so much more to the
table and will be prepared.”
Prior to publishing his
recent book, Torres has penned
and published three previous
books: an autobiography titled
“Sabor Latino: My Life” (2015);
“Sabor Latino: Mis Grandes
Canciones y Poemas” (2017);
and “125 Quotes Gathered
From My Life Observatio ns”
(2018).
He is working on his
fifth book titled “You Are
South Jamaica hip-hop artist and author Roberto Torres will be
releasing his fourth publication titled “My Alma Mater Lehman
College” in February. Courtesy of Roberto Torres
a Beautiful and Special
Person,” which set to be
released in April.
The South Jamaica artist
is also recognized for his
positive music that inspires,
uplifts and motivates young
people; he has one hip-hop
album titled “Observaciones
de mi vida Vol. 1.”
“I want readers to take
away the importance of never
giving up in life,” said Torres.
“I want them to exercise
their talents, be productive
members of society, and for
the youth to value education
and their parents.”
Torres works as a
preventive case planner for a
children’s welfare agency at
a New York City School. He
hopes his books will inspire
others to believe in themselves
and create positive change.
“No matter where you came
from you can be successful in
life,” said Torres.
“My Alma Mater Lehman
College” will be available on
Kindle, book-baby, Barnes
and Noble, and other online
bookstores.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–
4526.
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