Press Releases For Joy Watson For District Attorney Nassau County

“We are proud to endorse Joy Watson,” Police Conference President William Diebold said. “There is no better person for the job and we ask all members of law enforcement, their families and friends, as well as all voters across Nassau County to join with us.”

“Joy is a veteran Nassau County prosecutor. For 20 years, she did a great job protecting the rights of taxpayers when she served as chief of Nassau County’s Sex Offense and Domestic Violence bureau, deputy bureau chief of the county’s Major Offense/Homicide bureau, and chief of the sex crimes and mental health units,” he said. “She has a proven record of very strong performance.”

“She has a great commitment to doing the job of district attorney in our county and we have great confidence in her to be tough on criminals and protect the rights of individuals. We look forward to working with Joy when she is elected to the office,” Diebold added.

To date, Watson has also been endorsed by the Nassau County Detectives Association, Inc. (DAI), Hempstead Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Freeport Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Nassau County Probation Officers Association (POA), Fire Marshal Association of Nassau County, Nassau County Veteran Police Association, Association of Retired Detectives, the Adjunct Faculty Association of Nassau Community College, and the Liberal Party of Nassau County. Election Day is November 3.

The NPC is proud to sponsor an active community service program. Our members participate and support the Association for the Help of Retarded Children, Association of Children with Downs Syndrome, The Special Olympics, and numerous other charities. The Nassau Police Conference is proud to be affiliated with the National Association of Police Organizations, Inc.

Long Beach Police Benevolent Association Endorses Joy Watson for Nassau County District Attorney Seat

(LONG BEACH, N.Y.) October 27, 2009—The Long Beach Police Benevolent Association has unanimously endorsed Joy Watson of Hempstead, N.Y., for the office of Nassau County District Attorney.

“My membership is aligned with all of the important labor and fraternal organizations across Nassau County and we are all endorsing Joy Watson,” LBPBA President Mike Bulik said.

“She has a great commitment to doing the job of district attorney in our county. We look forward to working with Joy when she is elected to the office,” Bulik added.

To date, Watson has also been endorsed by the Nassau County Detectives Association, Inc. (DAI), Hempstead Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Freeport Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Nassau County Probation Officers Association (POA), Fire Marshal Association of Nassau County, Nassau County Veteran Police Association, Nassau Police Conference, Association of Retired Detectives, the Adjunct Faculty Association of Nassau Community College, and the Liberal Party of Nassau County.

Association of Retired Detectives Endorse Joy Watson for Nassau County District Attorney

“We are proud to endorse Joy Watson,” Retired Detectives Association President NAME said. “There is no better person for the job.”

To date, Watson has also been endorsed by the Nassau County Detectives Association, Inc. (DAI), Hempstead Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Freeport Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Nassau County Probation Officers Association (POA), Fire Marshal Association of Nassau County, Nassau County Veteran Police Association, Nassau Police Conference, the Adjunct Faculty Association of Nassau Community College, and the Liberal Party of Nassau County.

Nassau County Veteran Police Endorse Joy Watson for Nassau County District Attorney

(CITY?, N.Y.) October 28, 2009—The Nassau County Veteran Police Association has endorsed Joy Watson of Hempstead, N.Y., for the office of Nassau County District Attorney.

“We are proud to join with all of Nassau’s law enforcement community and all veterans and endorse Joy Watson,” said NAME, president of the Nassau County Veteran Police Association. “There is no better person for the job.”

The association is comprised of Nassau County law enforcement officials who currently serve or have served in the United States Armed Forces.

To date, Watson has also been endorsed by the Nassau County Detectives Association, Inc. (DAI), Hempstead Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Freeport Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Nassau County Probation Officers Association (POA), Fire Marshal Association of Nassau County, Nassau Police Conference, the Adjunct Faculty Association of Nassau Community College, and the Republican, Conservative and Liberal Parties of Nassau County.

Joy Watson Pushes 14-Point Plan in Bid for Nassau District Attorney

(Mineola, NY) October 28, 2009 Р With just less than week away to the November 3 election for Nassau District Attorney, veteran prosecutor Joy Watson continues to push forward on her agenda for the office. An agenda that includes fiscal and management reforms to save taxpayer dollars, strengthen relationships with local law enforcement, and step up efforts to combat gangs and Internet predators.

ТIХve been a prosecutor in Nassau County Courts and I understand what it takes to successfully put criminals behind bars,У Watson said. ТIХve committed two decades of my life to this job and to the people of Nassau County. I am committed to being the next Nassau District Attorney. I need the publicХs support and their vote on November 3.У

Through her countless meetings across the county, listening and talking to taxpayers and voters, Watson has devised a 14-point plan that focuses on what is important to the community and to improving the operations of the Office of District Attorney.

1. Videotape all violent crime interrogations, especially those most difficult to prove, sex crimes.

2. Establish Forensic/DNA Evidence Bureau - bolstering violent and nonviolent prosecutions while exonerating the innocent.

3. Devote greater resources to Internet Predator prosecutions, including greater coordination with State Police and putting community safety first in sting operations.

4. Create separate Gang and Narcotics Bureaus to address the ever-increasing problems with drugs and gangs in our communities.

5. Increase successful gang prosecutions, implement stronger witness protection, interview witnesses in an off site location and instill confidence in witnesses that the criminals they testify against will receive lengthy prison terms.

6. Utilize forfeiture funds to staff probation department personnel to monitor sex offenders on a 24/7 basis.

7. Relocate Special Victims Bureau to avoid contact and possible confrontation with their attackers.

8. Improve transparency by annually posting all specific Office disposition statistics. This information is available internally and should be reported to the public through the OfficeХs website.

9. Recruit and promote a diversified ADA force to reflect the new demographics of Nassau County.

10. Save tax dollars and eliminate duplication of efforts by eliminating ECAB (Early Case Assessment Bureau), work which can be effectively handled by the Police Department and by restructuring the work of DA Investigators.

11. Re-establish cooperation with all branches of law enforcement, including Detectives, Probation Department, and state and local police forces.

12. Enforce Nassau Residency Requirement to ensure that members of the DA's office have a stake in the community and contribute to Nassau's economic health.

14. Pursue a County Legislative Agenda that includes installing GPS devices to track domestic violence offenders with orders of protection and ignition interlock devices on all motor vehicles across the county.

Watson is endorsed by the Nassau County Detectives Association, Inc. (DAI), Nassau Police Conference (representing Nassau's 19 village and city Police Benevolent Associations), Hempstead Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Freeport Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Long Beach Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Nassau County Veteran Police Association, Association of Retired Detectives, Nassau County Probation Officers Association (POA), Fire Marshal Association of Nassau County, Metropolitan Security Council of Greater New York, New York State Fraternal Order of Police (NYS FOP), the Adjunct Faculty Association of Nassau Community College, the Republican Party of Nassau County, the Conservative Party of Nassau County, and the Liberal Party of Nassau County.

Her debate with Kathleen Rice will appear on News 12 October 30 at 4:30 p.m. and is also available on demand at CablevisionХs Channel 612.

Liberal Party of Nassau County Endorses Joy Watson for Nassau County District Attorney

(HEWLETT, N.Y.) October 27, 2009—The Liberal Party of Nassau County has endorsed Joy Watson of Hempstead, N.Y., for the office of Nassau County District Attorney.

“The Liberal Party has always backed the best candidates and this year for Nassau County District Attorney, there is no question the outstanding and most qualified candidate is Joy Watson,” said Jack Olchin, New York State and Nassau County Liberal Party leader. “Due to some complexities in the New York State Election Law, the Liberal Party does not have its own line on the voting machine. This year we are asking our supporters to vote for Joy Watson on the Republican Party line which is Row B.”

“Joy is a veteran Nassau County prosecutor and we believe in her ability run the office with the highest level of integrity and commitment,” he said. “We are supporting her on November 3.”

To date, Watson has also been endorsed by the Nassau County Detectives Association, Inc. (DAI), Hempstead Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Freeport Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Long Beach Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Nassau County Probation Officers Association (POA), Fire Marshal Association of Nassau County, Nassau County Veteran Police Association, Nassau Police Conference, Association of Retired Detectives, and the Adjunct Faculty Association of Nassau Community College.

The Liberal Party of New York State is the longest existing third party in the history of the Untied States. It was founded in 1944, at the request of United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as an alternative to a Democratic Party dominated by local party machines rife with corruption. The Liberal Party has a history of nominating candidates on the basis of merit, independence and progressive viewpoints, regardless of party affiliations.

Past Liberal Party nominees have included such distinguished public servants as New York State Governors William Averell Harriman, Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo, United States Senators Robert Wagner, Sr., Herbert Lehman, Jacob Javits, Robert Kennedy and Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and New York City Mayors Fiorello LaGuardia, Robert Wagner, Rudolph G. Giuliani, and John Lindsay, who won re-election as mayor solely based on the support he received on the Liberal Party line.

The Liberal Party provided key support in Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1944 victory in New York State. In 1960, the party's 406,000 votes for John F. Kennedy provided his margin of victory in New York State, and the states 43 electoral college votes ultimately provided his national margin of victory.

In the '40's and ''50's, the Liberal Party pioneered rent control and consumer protection legislation for the state. In the 1960's the party initiated the suit in the United States Supreme Court for congressional reapportionment, one immediate result of which was the election of Shirley Chisholm, the nations first African-American congresswoman. Today the Liberal Party remains an influential force in New York politics, and is continuing in its tradition of supporting aspirants for office who are both progressive in their ideas and capable of meeting the challenge of providing good government. The Liberal Party believes that a civilized society respects the rights of all its citizens and guarantees their basic needs.

All Americans, regardless of class, race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, must be equal under the law and have access to affordable medical, shelter and a safe and healthy environment. We believe the government has a role to play in protecting the environment and improving the quality of life for its people when the private sector is unwilling to or incapable of doing so.

Election Day is November 3. For more information about the liberal party, please visit www.liberalparty.org.

Nassau County Probation Officers Association, Inc. Endorses Joy Watson for Nassau County District Attorney Seat

“Joy’s interest in what we do and our role in support of the community and the criminal justice system is refreshing. We look forward to working with Joy when she is elected district attorney,” Papatsos added.

Adjunct Faculty Association at Nassau Community College Endorses Joy Watson for Nassau County District Attorney

“In endorsing Joy Watson, our faculty stands with three key Nassau County labor unions: the Nassau County Detectives Association (DAI), the Hempstead Police Benevolent Association (PBA) and the Freeport Police Benevolent Association (PBA),” said AFA President Charles J. Loiacono.

Loiacono, who is also president of the Nassau County Coalition of Labor, added, “We believe she is the right person to lead the district attorney’s office. As a former prosecutor under the prior district attorney, she has served the residents of Nassau County consistently for 20 years. Her experience is vast having served as chief of Nassau County’s Sex Offense and Domestic Violence bureau, deputy bureau chief of the county’s Major Offense/Homicide bureau, and chief of the sex crimes and mental health units. In addition, she is a member of the adjunct faculty community teaching criminal justice at Molloy College. She is a great role model for our future generations.”

“We strongly believe there is no better person to lead the chief prosecution office for our county than Ms. Watson,” he said. “We ask all labor unions, educators, and students to come out and support her on November 3, 2009.”

The Adjunct Faculty Association (AFA), an independent union of adjunct professors at Nassau Community College (NCC), represents 3,214 adjunct faculty professors. The Nassau County Coalition of Labor represents all Nassau County unions. To date, Watson has been endorsed by the Nassau County Detectives Association, Inc. (DAI), Hempstead Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Freeport Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Fire Marshal Benevolent Association of Nassau County.

Fire Marshall Benevolent Association of Nassau County, Inc. Endorses Joy Watson for Nassau District Attorney Race November 3

Krummenacker said Watson has always shown encouragement and support to the law enforcement community and the Fire Marshals are an important part of that community. “With Joy’s understanding and cooperation, we look forward to having her as an advocate for the advancement of our job and our position,” he said. “My Association will do whatever is possible to work with Ms. Watson for the advancement of her goals for Nassau County and the continuation of the quality of life that are so important to us all.”

To date, Watson has also been endorsed by the Nassau County Detectives Association (DAI), Hempstead Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Freeport Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Nassau County Probation Officers Association, and the Adjunct Faculty Association of Nassau Community College.

The Fire Marshal Benevolent Association of Nassau County was founded in 1995. Its membership is comprised of the members of the Fire Marshal's Office staff from 71 fire departments across Nassau County.

Freeport Police Benevolent Association (PBA) Endorses Joy Watson for Nassau County District Attorney Race

“My membership has elected to stand with the Nassau County Detectives, the Hempstead Police Benevolent Association, the Fire Marshal Benevolent Association of Nassau County and the Adjunct Faculty Association of Nassau Community College and endorse Joy Watson,” PBA President Shawn Randall said. “We believe the office of District Attorney needs a change and it is our belief that Joy Watson can bring about that very positive change.”

“We know and respect Joy very much. As a former prosecutor under the prior district attorney, she has served the residents of the Village of Freeport and Nassau County for 20 years. She did a great job protecting the rights of taxpayers when she served as chief of Nassau County’s Sex Offense and Domestic Violence bureau, deputy bureau chief of the county’s Major Offense/Homicide bureau, and chief of the sex crimes and mental health units,” he said. “We believe Joy will bring more experience and higher morale to the District Attorney’s office that has just been lacking for the last four years,” Randall said. “Under Joy, all crimes will get the same type of prosecution, rather than the cherry-picking that occurs now under Kathleen Rice.”

“The Village of Freeport PBA membership has worked with Joy Watson for decades and we strongly believe there is no better person to lead the chief prosecution office for our county,” he said. “We ask all labor unions and all Nassau voters to come out and support Joy Watson on November 3. She is really someone you can believe in.”

To date, Watson has also been endorsed by the Nassau County Detectives Association (DAI), Hempstead Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Nassau County Probation Officers Association, Fire Marshal Benevolent Association of Nassau County and the Adjunct Faculty Association of Nassau Community College.

Hempstead Police Benevolent Association (PBA) Endorses Joy Watson for Nassau County District Attorney Race

“I want to go on record as saying that we are formally endorsing Joy Watson—not Kathleen Rice—for the office of Nassau County District Attorney,” Murphy said. “It appears Ms. Rice’s campaign staff issued a false press release on September 16 and I want to clear up the facts. It was unauthorized. We were never contacted for an endorsement or for our support on a release.”

Murphy said his membership is standing behind Watson because she is the better qualified and more committed candidate. “Joy has served the residents of Nassau County for 20 years. She is a former prosecutor under the prior District Attorney, where she served as chief of Nassau County’s Sex Offense and Domestic Violence bureau, deputy bureau chief of the county’s Major Offense/Homicide bureau, and chief of the sex crimes and mental health units.”

“The Hempstead PBA membership has worked with her for decades and we strongly believe there is no better person to lead the chief prosecution office for our county than Ms. Watson,” he said. “Joy is a Long Island native who has lived in the Village of Hempstead for more than two decades. Clearly, she is much more committed to Nassau County.”

Joy Watson, Candidate for Nassau County DA on Failure of Kathleen Rice to Charge False Rape Accuser

Statement from Joy Watson, Candidate for Nassau County District Attorney on the Failure of Nassau DA Kathleen Rice to Charge the "False Rape" Accuser Today

(Mineola, NY) -- September 25, 2009 -- I am outraged that Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice has made a side deal with the individual who falsely accused five young men of rape--and that this individual will not be charged. The public, and the falsely accused men, have waited since Tuesday, September 15, 2009, for the Nassau DA to do something. She waits until Friday, September 25 to finally make a decision.

In my view, the current DA is out of line. Rape is an extremely serious allegation and a false claim is highly damaging to those accused--as we have seen in this highly controversial case. Even though she has prosecutorial discretion to let someone walk, in this case the facts are that the accuser lied in a sworn statement and only recanted after a video was produced about the incident. This is not a simple false allegation over a petty theft. Short of accusing someone of murder, there is no more serious charge than rape. The accuser should be charged and the DA should allow our criminal justice system to decide her fate. She is sidestepping necessary input from the probation department and the bench, whose role it is to recommend and decide the appropriate criminal sanctions.

Rice's pattern of minimizing criminal activity like she did with the Walmart holiday stampede in Valley Stream and her "deferred prosecution agreements" with drug dealers on Terrace Avenue in Hempstead and as used in this case, sends the wrong message to those who commit crime in Nassau County.

Statement from Joy Watson, Candidate for Nassau County District Attorney on the False Rape Claim at Hofstra University

(Mineola, NY) -- September 19, 2009 – “In the aftermath of the falsely reported Hofstra rape incident, the accuser must be immediately charged,” said Joy Watson.

“Whether or not there are circumstances in her background warranting leniency is a matter to be considered in structuring an appropriate disposition or sentence. The circumstances should not prevent the Nassau District Attorney from holding the false accuser accountable. Her delay is a signal to the public that such acts are tolerated in Nassau County.

There is no question that a crime was committed here. There is no question who committed the crime. These young men had their reputations and lives negatively impacted by these false allegations. A delay can only be seen as an injustice to these young men or a ploy to get more news coverage for the District Attorney. In either case, justice is not being served. The five young men who were falsely accused deserve nothing less that a district attorney who will stand up to protect their rights.

The delay also smacks of a publicity grab at justices’ expense, as we are six weeks from the November 3 election. I think the public can see right through our current District Attorney and see where her priorities lie,” Watson added.

Watson, a 20-year veteran former Nassau County prosecutor and now State Supreme Court law clerk, is running on the Republican and Conservative lines on November 3. She is the former bureau chief of the Nassau County Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Bureau.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Published Sunday, August 21, 2009

NASSAU DETECTIVES ASSOCIATION (DAI) ENDORSES JOY WATSON FOR NASSAU DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Click here to view the PDF of this press release.

(PLAINVIEW, N.Y.) August 19, 2009
Standing on the steps of the Nassau County Court Complex, Thomas Willdigg, president of the Nassau Detectives Association, Inc. (DAI) today announced that his organization is endorsing Joy Watson of Hempstead, N.Y., for Nassau County District Attorney in the November 2009 election.

“Today, the full membership of the DAI is proud to endorse veteran prosecutor Joy Watson for the office of Nassau County District Attorney. Ms. Watson, a former prosecutor with over 20 years of experience in Nassau County courts, has been a strong advocate for crime victims and their families throughout her entire legal career. As career detectives, our membership has worked with her for decades and there is no better person to lead the chief prosecution office for our county than Ms. Watson,” he said.

Willdigg said the DAI’s endorsement of Watson is based on her solid law enforcement credentials, strong and consistent management experience, and her long-standing commitment to Nassau County.

“Joy is a Long Island native who has lived in the Village of Hempstead for more than 20 years. She has served as chief of Nassau County’s Sex Offense and Domestic Violence bureau, deputy bureau chief of the county’s Major Offense/Homicide bureau, chief of the sex crimes and mental health units, and served as a special Suffolk County prosecutor,” Willdigg said. “She is the right person to lead Nassau County and she will do more to consistently put criminals behind bars. In addition, she’ll put more financial and management accountability into the DA’s office.”

Willdigg said Watson understands the role of the detective as the closest law enforcement official to the victim of crime and their families, and the closest link to aid the district attorney in prosecuting crimes in Nassau County. “Never once in the 20 years that Joy Watson has been a prosecutor has she discounted the role of the Nassau County Detective. Up until 2006, it has always been a solid working relationship between the detectives and the prosecutor’s office producing strong results for the county residents,” Willdigg added.

He said they are endorsing Watson over the current District Attorney, Kathleen Rice, because Rice has released drug dealers to the community under her ineffective “amnesty” program and has not put resources toward fighting Internet predators. He said his teams of detectives also have more confidence in Watson to better serve the county.

“In looking at the budget, our current DA has increased spending by nearly 27% since 2006. There appears to be no accountability for the office budget growing from $26.87 million to $34.11 million in just three years while the county is in a deep fiscal crisis and laying people off. In addition, DA Rice has hired many out-of-towners to lead her office. While thousands of Nassau residents are out of work and taxes continue to rise, she thinks it is fine to run her office that way. We disagree,” Willdigg said. “She is also duplicating efforts by hiring outside people as investigators to do a Nassau Detectives’ job. That is a waste of hard earned tax dollars.”

Given Watson’s experience successfully prosecuting sex crimes, domestic violence cases, and homicides, Willdigg said she is the one to endorse. “Her campaign will focus on the need to do more to protect victims of domestic violence, combat the heroin epidemic in the county, as well as further prosecute drunken drivers. Watson will also demonstrate her commitment to allocate the necessary resources and personnel within her office to protect our children from online predators,” Willdigg said.

“I also like the fact that Joy stands for an independent judiciary. Unlike the current DA who tries to tell everyone how to do their jobs including my detectives, Joy will focus her time and energy on running the DA’s office and successfully prosecuting criminals,” he added.

Published Sunday, July 26, 2009

The recent coverage of the brutal death of Joanna Bird on News 12 Long Island has highlighted the need for the District Attorney’s Office to focus greater attention on helping prevent such senseless deaths.

As a 20 year Nassau County prosecutor, I spent over a decade working on homicide and domestic violence cases. While it is easier for a prosecutor’s office to achieve the justice they are charged with administering when a victim is cooperative, the task of the chief law enforcement officer does not stop when a woman who has been the subject of serial abuse doesn’t have the courage to willingly come forward. During my tenure as a Nassau County prosecutor, I sought and received material witness orders which required a victim to come before a judge when they were reluctant. While this “tough love” approach should be used sparingly and only with victims of violent abuse, I cannot think of a better time than the Joanna Bird case when the District Attorney’s Office should have exercised its discretion to do everything within its powers to prevent a homicide. In my experience, when a victim knows they are safe and supported by the courts and the District Attorney’s Office, they will cooperate.

With respect to the violation of an order of protection, when there are other witnesses available, as in the Joanna Bird case when her killer appeared at the hospital, those witnesses can be used to prosecute the case.

Looking forward, we must have our local and state legislators enact legislation to better protect victims of domestic abuse. I have long advocated for GPS devices for victims and the requirement that repeat violators of orders of protection be required to wear a GPS device as a condition of bail or probation.

The District Attorney, as chief law enforcement officer, must be at the forefront of this issue. As your District Attorney I will make this issue a top priority.

Press Releases

Nassau Police Conference Endorses Joy Watson