Richard Aborn is a proven crime-fighter and true progressive with a vision to prevent crime more effectively and the track record to get it done. No one will be tougher going after violent crime — but it’s time for new ideas that go beyond the old reactive model of simply prosecuting crime after it occurs.
Richard began his long career in criminal justice by prosecuting violent felonies, including homicides, during five years as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan DA’s office.
After founding and managing a law firm, Richard then went on to national prominence as a gun control leader, standing up to the NRA and beating them time and again. As the national president of Handgun Control, Inc. (now the Brady Campaign) for five years, Richard was the principal strategist behind the successful passage of the Brady Bill, the national assault weapons ban and the ban on large volume clips.
A member of the NYS Bar Association Task Force on Wrongful Convictions, Richard was a leader in helping pass a new state law calling for expanded use of DNA to fight crime and quickly exonerate the innocent. He has also long pressed for overturning the draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws, and has been a firm and consistent opponent of the death penalty.
As DA, Richard will address police misconduct and stop law enforcement profiling based on race, religion or sexual orientation. In the late 1990s, Richard was commissioned by New York City to conduct an investigation into the NYPD’s disciplinary decisions in the fatal shooting of Amadou Diallo. He also conducted the well-known investigation into the department’s disciplinary system and its response to civilian complaints of misconduct.
In 2004, Richard joined the law firm of Constantine Cannon where he currently serves as managing partner, supervising large numbers of attorneys, preparing them for trial, and managing a substantial budget. A respected expert in law enforcement and the use of technology to fight crime, Richard has advised large police departments and public safety agencies, including Scotland Yard and the Los Angeles Police Department.
The former President of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York, Richard is also a board member of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, Harlem Mothers SAVE, Westside Crime Prevention Council, and CASES, an organization focused on deterring youth from crime.
Richard has lived in Manhattan his entire adult life and currently resides on the Upper West Side with his wife, Ingrid, and their 18-year-old daughter.
