Updated 09/01/2009 07:14 PM
Democratic Candidates For DA Take Part In Debate
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The three Democrats hoping to replace retiring Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau are making their cases tonight.
Richard Aborn, Leslie Crocker Snyder, and Cyrus Vance are taking part in a debate at John Jay College.
NY1 will carry the Democratic debate for Manhattan district attorney LIVE at 7 p.m. and then replay the debate at 10 p.m.
NY1 "Road To City Hall" anchor Dominic Carter will be the moderator.
Retiring Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, 90, has given his stamp of approval to Vance. The son of former President Jimmy Carter's secretary of state, Vance worked as a prosecutor for Morgenthau.
Snyder, a retired judge, is the founder of the sex crimes bureau in Morgenthau's office.
Aborn, a former assistant district attorney, is a gun control advocate who helped pass the Brady Bill.
Yet none of the candidates reach the level of notoriety as Morgenthau, who after 35 years in office is a well-known name to most New Yorkers.
"Bob Morgenthau is a legend in New York City. There will be big shoes to fill," said retired Police Officer James Peterson.
Many New Yorkers who spoke to NY1 this morning said they were not familiar with any of the hopefuls.
"I don't think any of the candidates has really caught the public's attention in any sort of significant way, so people aren't paying much attention to it," said one New Yorker.
"Unfortunately, because I know the name Cyrus Vance, I have to look into the other two candidates before I decide, because I haven't heard of them," said voter Seth Baumrin.
Voters also want the candidates to address a wide range of subjects.
"What would you do to bring about a more progressive agenda to the criminal justice system, stressing restorative justice - the healing of the community - rather than the same old tired punitive perspective," said one voter.
"I have questions about the police department's stop-and-frisk policy, which is a huge concern among people in the African-American community," said Peterson.
With no Republican on the ballot, the winner of this month's primary will likely be the new district attorney, and if history is any guide, the winner could be around for quite some time.