Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz was sworn in for a second term on Tuesday, January 2, by Supreme Court Administrative Judge Donna-Marie Golia. The ceremony, held in the Helen Marshall Cultural Center at Queens Borough Hall, was attended by some 200 staff and justices. The DA’s youngest son, Hunter, held the copy of the Old Testament used for the swearing in.
DA Katz said: “Of all the outstanding work and accomplishments of the past four years, perhaps I am proudest of our efforts in tackling violent crime. The time, energy and resources we have poured into the fight has produced impressive results: Whereas shootings declined 24 percent in the city, in Queens they are down 33 percent; and murders, down 11 percent citywide, have declined
by 39 percent in Queens. There is always more to be done, but I am proud of the results my office has achieved in the fight to protect our neighborhoods.”
DA Katz made history when she took office four years ago and became the first woman to ever serve as head prosecutor in Queens. She modernized the office and expanded its mission statement, as reflected by the new bureaus and units she created, including the Conviction Integrity Unit, Human Trafficking Bureau, Cold Case Unit, Frauds Bureau and Housing and Worker Protection Bureau, among others.
Born and raised in Queens, DA Katz was educated in the city’s public school system. She graduated with honors from the University of Massachusetts and received a Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University School of Law. Her long record of public service began with her 1994 election to the New York State Assembly where she wrote and passed legislation to protect New York’s most vulnerable residents. District Attorney Katz was a member of the New York City Council from 2002 to 2009. She used her legal background and community ties to steward major projects that helped pull New York City out of the 2001 recession.
In private practice, DA Katz worked as a securities litigator for Weil, Gotshal & Manges and as a shareholder of Greenberg Traurig, a position she held until her 2013 election as the 19th Borough President of Queens. DA Katz lives in Forest Hills with her two sons.
