BRONX DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANNOUNCES THE BEGINNING OF THE PROSECUTION CLINIC

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that seven students from St. John’s University School of Law will Begin participating in the Bronx DA’s annual Prosecution Clinic on Thursday, September 9, 2004. The prosecution clinic consists of approximately 12 – 15 hours a-week of office / court work, as well as weekly seminars at the law school.

Students assigned to the Appeals Bureau are: Ted Debonis, Joseph P. DePaola, and Katherine Ruzenski. These students will work under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Joseph Ferdenzi, Chief of Appeals, and Assistant District Attorney Nancy Killian, Deputy Chief of Appeals, during their office time. Assistant District Attorney Joseph McCormack, Deputy Chief, Criminal Court Bureau, will be responsible for their out-of-office training. These students will handle a variety of felony and misdemeanor appeals. Where appropriate, they will assemble or supplement the record on appeal. They will read and analyze the record on appeal and the defendant’s brief, crystallize the issues and the legal approach to the issues, research the law and write the brief. The students’ names will appear on the briefs. The students will also assist in the preparation of the oral arguments and will be present during the oral arguments. They will not be permitted to make oral arguments.

Students assigned to the Criminal Court Bureau are: Carl A. Benincasa, Jennifer L. Hard, Christopher F. Holbrook, and Nicole L. Krysinski. These students will be under the supervision of ADA Joseph McCormack. They will be responsible for a case load of misdemeanor prosecutions in Bronx Criminal Court through all stages of the criminal process – interviewing witnesses, drafting accusatory instruments, drafting responses to motions, negotiating with defense counsel, court appearances, pre-trial hearings and bench and/or jury trials.