Promises: The Ghosts of Elections Past

As we approach this Tuesday's election for District Attorney in Monroe County, let's take a trip back in time and review a few promises made by Mike Green in the 2003 District Attorney race and see how well he has done to keep those promises.

Back in 2003, Gary Craig of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle asked Mike Green:

What can you do as district attorney to fight crime and lower the homicide rate in the city of Rochester?

Violent offenders must be swiftly and vigorously prosecuted by experienced prosecutors and given substantial sentences to protect the community. I will ensure that the office continues to achieve a high level of success prosecuting homicides. Since a large percentage of violent crime is drug- related, a comprehensive policy is necessary to address both the supply and demand for drugs. I will aggressively attack the supply of drugs in our community, prosecuting and convicting major drug dealers, seeking forfeiture of assets and long prison sentences, publicly sending a message that this community will not tolerate such behavior.

Are violent felons being prosecuted by experienced prosecutors? As previously discussed in a prior post, most of the experience prosecutors have left the District Attorney's Office under Mike Green's reign. In fact, since 2001 when Mike Green became the First Assistant District Attorney, the office has lost 560 years of legal experience.

Has his office continued to achieve a high level of success prosecuting homicides? This year, Mike Green's office had 6 outright homicide acquittals. In no universe can this be considered a "high rate of success." Take a look for yourself:

• Kevin Lipford - Acquitted of Murder (convicted of Robbery)
  
• Keon Anderson - Acquitted of Murder
• Samuel Haile - Acquitted of Murder
• Brian Smith - Acquitted of Murder (convicted of Manslaughter)
  
• Brandon Daymon - Acquitted of Murder
• James Stanford - Acquitted of Murder (convicted of Manslaughter)
  
• Rosa Resto - Acquitted of Murder (convicted of Manslaughter)
  
• Joshua Rivera - Acquitted of Murder
• Charlie Scott - Acquitted of Murder (convicted of Manslaughter)
  
• Frantina Smith - Acquitted of Manslaughter
• Karen Greene - Acquitted of Vehicular Manslaughter (convicted of a misdemeanor)
  
• James Telban - Acquitted of Vehicular Manslaughter (convicted of a misdemeanor)
  
• Vincent Bermudez - Acquitted of Murder (convicted of Manslaughter)
  
• Pierre Harris - Acquitted of Murder (convicted of Manslaughter)
  
• Chazaray Green - Acquitted of Murder (convicted of Manslaughter)
  
• Earl Nesmith - Acquitted of Murder

Let's not forget that this list does not include the debacle of Edward Rodriguez, the convicted murderer who is now a free man after his murder conviction was reversed on appeal.

Has he succeeded in sending a message that this community will not tolerate violent felons? According to the Division of Criminal Justice Services ("DCJS") report entitled Crime in New York State: 2006 Final Data there was a 19.6% increase in the number of incidents of violent crime in Monroe County between 2005 and 2006. In fact according to DCJS, in the years 2004-2006, there has been an increase in the number of violent crimes committed in Monroe County each year.

Mike Green preaches holding violent criminals accountable and yet, as the above demonstrates, he has progressively become ineffective in prosecuting those criminals and the incidents of violent felonies has only increased over the past 3 years.

Now it is time for the people of Monroe County to hold him accountable for his broken promises.