By Doug La Rocque
Former New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman had brought charges of perjury and official misconduct against Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove, following the 2016 police shooting death of Edson Thevenin in Troy. Thevenin was alleged to have driven his car at a Troy police sergeant, following a vehicle chase and traffic stop. The officer claims he fired in self-defense. Abelove presented the case to a Grand Jury, who cleared the sergeant.
Following an executive order issued by Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mr. Schneiderman’s office launched the investigation into the incident, which resulted in the charges being leveled against DA Abelove. On Monday, June 11, Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Nicholas ruled the Attorney General did not have the jurisdiction to prosecute the case.
In a Monday afternoon press conference, Mr. Abelove said “The now disgraced former Attorney General, who has legal problems of his own, came after me with a vengeance. I had maintained my innocence all along. I have always followed the law and I strive every day to seek justice for residents of Rensselaer County who have become victims of crime.”
In response, the Press Secretary for the Attorney General’s office issued a statement that said “our indictment detailed a disturbing pattern of misconduct that violated the law and undermined a criminal investigation. We respectfully disagree with the court’s decision and are determining how to best move this critical case forward.” Her statement also said the decision was purely technical in regards to jurisdiction and does not exonerate Mr. Abelove.