Eric Gonzalez is an American attorney who is currently serving as the district attorney for Kings County in Brooklyn, New York. Gonzalez became the acting district attorney in October 2016 after his predecessor, Kenneth P. Thompson, died shortly after announcing that he was stepping down to be treated for cancer. He had previously served as the chief assistant district attorney under Thompson. In November 2017, Gonzalez was elected to the position after defeating five other candidates in the Democratic primary. His term is set to expire in January 2022.
Gonzalez began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in the Kings County District Attorney's Office immediately after graduating law school in 1995. He served several years as a junior and then senior assistant in different bureaus, including the Sex Crimes and Special Victims Bureau, Domestic Violence Bureau, Orange Trial Zone Bureau, and Green Trial Zone Bureau. Gonzalez was promoted to supervisory positions in the Green Trial Zone, which consists of the 60th, 61st, 70th, 71st, and 72nd precincts in Brooklyn. In 2011, he became the Executive Assistant District Attorney of the Green Trial Zone, and in March 2014 he was promoted to the position of Counsel to the District Attorney, where he guided the launch of several of District Attorney Kenneth P. Thompson's initiatives, including the creation of the Conviction Review Unit and the policy regarding the non-prosecution of many low-level marijuana possession cases. In October 2014, he was appointed chief assistant district attorney by Thompson.
Acting district attorney
On October 4, 2016, Thompson announced that he had been suffering from an undisclosed type of cancer and that he was selecting Gonzalez to serve as acting district attorney while he sought treatment. Thompson died just five days later on October 9. On October 17, New York governorAndrew Cuomo announced that he was not appointing an interim district attorney or calling a special election despite a push to replace Gonzalez with Public Advocate Letitia James, stating his desire that " work without interruption or delay."
Election
At the next year's election, Gonzalez won a six-way Democratic primary with 53% of the vote on September 12, 2017. He was elected in November 2017 with no Republican candidate opposing him, and was sworn in on January 21, 2018. He is the first Latino to serve in the position.
