Governor Cuomo Expected To Appoint New Herkimer County DA

Herkimer, NY (WIBX) - Herkimer County needs a new District Attorney, that after former D.A. John Crandall officially resigned from the position December 30th, 2011.  Crandall is now a Herkimer County Court Judge.

A special election is expected this November, however it's believed Governor Cuomo will appoint a new District Attorney sometime this month.

Those expressing interest in the appointment include Former Herkimer County District Attorney and Former State Supreme Court Justice Michael E. Daley, Current Herkimer County Assistant District Attorney Jeff Carpenter and Former City of Little Falls Judge and Current Herkimer County Family Court Clerk Bart Carrig.

Carrig says he's already sent information to the Governor that outlines his qualifications and says he'll be running in the November election. "I'm tired of sitting back and watching a small group of people making decisions for the whole county, it's always been a closed system and its time to open it up", said Carrig, adding "That's my plan, to get in there and start making changes".

Carrig, a long-time Herkimer County resident, says this wouldn't be his first Gubernatorial appointment, back in 1985 Governor Mario Cuomo appointed Carrig as Herkimer County's District Attorney, however he lost the race to Republican Pat Kirk the following year.

Current Herkimer County prosecutor Jeff Carpenter is interested in the appointment as well, the Republican has been with the Herkimer County District Attorney's office since 2002. "I know the Governor comes from a prosecutorial background and I hope he doesn't look at this as just a political appointment, but as a public safety issue", said Carpenter. "If he looks at it from the viewpoint that this is truly a public safety issue, then I believe my qualifications would put me as a front-runner".

Carpenter is the prosecutor handling the Jennifer Riesel case, she's the woman accused of murdering 74-year old Francis Nelson of Little Falls.  Carpenter hopes the Governor appoints him, so he can follow through with the case; her trial is expected to start later this year.

Former Herkimer County District Attorney Michael E. Daley, who most notably prosecuted Sara Ann Wood's killer, Lewis Lent back in the mid 90's, says he's made his interest clear to the Governor's staff. When asked if he "sent a letter and a resume", the former State Supreme Court Judge pragmatically replied "I made my intentions known, lets just leave it at that".

Daley went on to say he would have "no problem" prosecuting Jennifer Riesel, or an other case currently pending in Herkimer County.

Governor Cuomo is expected to make his selection sometime during the month of January.