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Greetings,
Happy Spring! The Bronx is always beautiful this time of year.
I testified last week to the City Council' s Committee on Public Safety how we work tirelessly to bring justice for victims, fairness for defendants, and improve public safety through community engagement.
From the courtroom to the community, my staff is committed to ensuring we utilize a wholistic approach... despite the disparate resources of our borough.
I used the opportunity to focus attention on the longtime neglect of the Bronx, which led to high unemployment, high overdose rates, and serious mental health issues that manifest in violent crimes.
Throughout this month, we engaged in events across the borough, celebrating and honoring the diverse cultures that enrich the Bronx.
In service,
DA Clark
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Bronx DA Urges City to Resource the Bronx
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On March 27, News12 The Bronx's Amanda Bossard aired an exclusive interview with District Attorney Clark about her City Council testimony. Watch the full interview here. | |
On March 20th, District Attorney Clark asked City Council members to correct the longtime neglect of the Bronx by allocating resources to improve housing, schools, jobs and services for youth and mental health, to abate the root causes of crime. She requested them to act boldly to invest in our Bronx communities. Read the full article here. | |
26th Annual Throggs Neck St. Patrick's Day Parade | |
District Attorney Clark and members of her office marched in the Bronx's Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade down East Tremont Avenue, joining Irish residents to celebrate their heritage and contributions to the Bronx. | |
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Women’s History Month:
“Black Girl Magic: Economic Empowerment”
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District Attorney Clark, in collaboration with City Council Member Althea Stevens, Borough President Vanessa Gibson, and Assemblymember Chantel Jackson, hosted a special event to commemorate Women’s History Month, “Black Girl Magic: Economic Empowerment.”
The event was geared towards fostering empowerment for young women of the Bronx. District Attorney Clark had the pleasure of honoring a very special girl, Trinity M. Warren. "Creating a space for all people to be heard is my passion and I find it even more heartwarming when we give a platform to youth," said District Attorney Clark.
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Justice for Winston Ortiz Jr. | |
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On March 21, Adones Betances was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree Murder. A jury convicted Betances on February 9, 2024, after a three-week trial for stabbing and burning alive 18-year-old Winston Ortiz Jr over a relationship with the defendant's sister.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Homicide Council George Suminski of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Neelam Chhikara of the Special Investigations Bureau, under the supervision of Christine Scaccia, Chief of the Homicide Bureau.
Thank you to our Assistant District Attorneys, TPAs, and Homicide Advocates for their hard work in pursuing justice.
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On March 18, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced that a Manhattan man has been indicted for the kidnapping and murder of two people who were shot execution style and left in a burning car on the side of a road near Pelham Bay Park. According to the investigation, on May 16, 2022, Rahul Cuya, 24, in concert with others allegedly kidnapped Nikki Huang, 22, and Jesse Parrilla, 22, transported them to Shore Road near Pelham Bay Park, where they were shot execution-style. The car was set on fire with the victims inside of it. Huang suffered bullet wounds to her head and neck. Parilla suffered bullet wounds to his head and chest. Their bodies were burned almost to ash. The defendant is charged with first-degree Murder, six counts of second-degree Murder, two counts of first-degree Manslaughter, two counts of first-degree Arson, two counts of second-degree Arson, two counts of third-degree Arson, two counts of first-degree Kidnapping, two counts of second-degree Kidnapping, two counts of first-degree Criminal Use of a Firearm, three counts of second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, two counts of first degree Robbery, third-degree Grand Larceny and fourth-degree Grand Larceny. | |
On March 19, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced that two men have been indicted for attacking an NYPD Officer who asked them to put out their cigarettes at the Freeman Street subway station. According to the investigation, on November 13, 2023, the defendants, at approximately 2:30 p.m., were allegedly smoking cigarettes inside the Freeman Street subway station near the corner of Southern Boulevard and Freeman Street when they were approached by NYPD Officer John Hernandez, 35, who instructed them they could not smoke at the station. Jessamy and McClary then allegedly refused to put out their cigarettes and threatened to go through the emergency gate to avoid paying their fares. When they were prevented from going through the gate, the defendants, acting in concert with each other allegedly began punching Hernandez in the face and back of the head. Defendants, Izayiah Jessamy, 20, and Karrem McClary, 23, were charged with second-degree Assault, and second-degree Harassment. | |
On March 19, Damion Campbell was sentenced to six years in prison and five years post-release supervision for second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Shari Ruth Michels. Campbell was found guilty on February 14, 2024 after a jury trial. On June 2, 2021, Detectives from the 47th Precinct Field Intelligence Bureau executed a search warrant of 3640 Bronx Boulevard and upon arriving they saw the subject of the search warrant, Campbell, flee. Detectives chased the defendant several blocks and when they apprehended him, they recovered a loaded .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Assistant District Attorney Natale Corsi and Senior Trial Assistant Paul Irace prosecuted the case. | |
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It’s that time of year again… when we bring Bronx leaders to our Offices to welcome our new class of Assistant District Attorneys (ADAs) and Trial Prep Assistants (TPAs), an event we call Community Day.
On Community Day, presenters speak about their experiences and the work that they do for the constituents of the Bronx. For this cohort’s panel, we featured Carmen Rivera, President of the 48th Precinct Community Council and Chief Vocational and Community Affairs Officer of VIP Community Services; Pastor Jay Gooding Sr., Director of Jacobi Medical Center’s Stand Up to Violence; Charles “Trey” Jenkins Executive Director at 161st Street Business Improvement District; and Pamela “Lady Pam” Damon, Executive Director of Not On My Watch. Our staff had the opportunity to learn about resources in our borough and advocacy of our speakers.
Thank you to our guests for stopping by to share their stories!
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In an effort to underscore accountability and transparency, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office launched data dashboards. Data dashboards provide historical as well as current information on prosecution trends, and allow users to focus on specific charges, violent crimes, demographics and other data points. Check out our data dashboards here. | |
Career Pathways to NYS Prosecution
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On March 13th, the National Black Prosecutors Association and the NYS Bar Association, in partnership with several local and national bar associations hosted a Career Pathways to NYS Prosecution panel. District Attorney Clark and the District Attorneys of Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island discussed the honor and service of being a prosecutor. College and law school students interested in careers in prosecution attended. | |
2024 SOMOS NEW YORK CONFERENCE
"Taking the Lead: Empowering Tomorrow's Trailblazers"
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On March 9th, during the Somos New York Conference legislative session, District Attorney Clark spoke on the importance of investing in youth and how to best help at-risk youth. District Attorney Clark highlighted the Office's most-recent initiative- the Youth Advisory Council, a space created to give the youth of Bronx County a voice. | |
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month | |
7th Annual Child Safety Fair | |
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This year the Annual Child Safety Fair will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at 1919 Prospect Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457. | |
3rd Annual Prom Dress/Suit Drive | |
The Bronx District Attorney’s Office is one of the largest employers in the Bronx. We are committed to pursuing justice with integrity by providing services to victims of crime and prosecuting the accused fairly. Whether you intern or join our staff, you will be provided with training, mentorship and opportunities for professional development. The collegial and collaborative environment will provide you with not just a job, but a home for building a career in criminal justice. Check out the wide variety of opportunities– IT, interpreters, digital forensic examiner, and clerical staff–we have available. | | | | |
