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Mr. Tunney is a lifelong resident of
Steuben County and is
presently completing his 20th year as Steuben County
District
Attorney. He was first elected as
District Attorney in 1987 and in November of 2007 was re-elected to his
sixth
four-year term.
Prior to becoming District Attorney,
Mr. Tunney practiced
law in a firm in Painted Post, NY, a village near Corning in Steuben
County. In his private practice he
specialized in criminal defense work representing hundreds of people
charged
with crimes over more than 16 years.
As District Attorney, he was
instrumental in creating a
Child Abuse Review Team [CART] which brings together professionals from
a
variety of disciplines in order to more effectively deal with child
abuse
cases. He established a domestic
violence bureau in the District Attorney’s and participated in the
creation of
Steuben County’s Domestic Abuse Review Team [DART], modeled on the
Child Abuse
Review Team, to improve the system response to domestic violence.
His office has been a State leader in
the use of asset
forfeiture as both a means to deprive criminals of the profit
associated with
crime and as a means to enhance prosecution resources.
Mr.
Tunney graduated from the public school
system in Corning, NY. He received a
Bachelor of Arts Degree, in 1967, from Holy Cross College and, in 1971
received
his Juris Doctor from Cornell University.
He serves as an adjunct instructor or criminal law
at Corning Community
College. Mr. Tunney is married and the
father of five children. He has, in
addition, served as President of the New York State District Attorney’s
Association, the organization which represents New York State’s 62
elected
District Attorneys, their assistants and related prosecutors. |
