Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Flaherty, Jr. announces that since he took the helm in January, his office has more than doubled the number of homicide convictions so far this year, compared to all of last year.

Data from the DA’s Office show that 32 defendants in homicide cases have been convicted to date in 2016. That number is more than double the 13 defendants in homicide cases who were convicted in all of 2015. There were 18 such convictions in 2014.

“I am proud of my staff of Assistant District Attorneys who have worked diligently under my leadership to prosecute these serious cases,” says acting DA Flaherty.  “A life lost is tragic enough, and I will stay committed to seeking justice for victims and their families.”

Acting DA Flaherty commends the police agencies across Erie County who have worked tirelessly gathering the evidence our office needs to bring these cases to a successful conclusion.

“Of course, as I have observed many times, we have in Erie County several outstanding police agencies whose professional investigation of these violent crimes leads directly to the just prosecution of the guilty offenders,” says acting DA Flaherty.

The DA’s Office under Flaherty’s direction is also seeing a jump in all cases prosecuted in 2016.  Data show the office has handled 13,493 cases from January 2016-July 2016. In that same time period in 2015, 9,701 cases were opened.