The lead prosecutor in the Etan Patz slay case has resigned from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to run for Staten Island district attorney.
Joan Illuzzi-Orbon, a native and longtime resident of Staten Island, is running against Democrat Michael McMahon to fill the position vacated by former DA Dan Donovan.
Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance released a statement Monday in support of Illuzzi-Orbon’s bid for office, although he said ethics barred him from officially endorsing her.
“Joan Illuzzi-Orbon is one of the most experienced, dedicated and fair prosecutors I have ever met,” Vance said. “She has handled some of the most significant prosecutions for this office for many years.”
Those cases include the recent trial of former bodega clerk Pedro Hernandez, 54, in the death of 6-year-old Etan. The case ended in a mistrial May 8.
The Manhattan DA’s Office has said it intends to retry the case, now with a new prosecutor at the helm.
“The office is committed to retrying Pedro Hernandez for the murder of Etan Patz,” said Manhattan ADA Karen Friedman Agnifilo.
“The case is strong, and the evidence of his guilt remains unchanged. We will make appropriate adjustments to the trial team in the coming weeks.”
Among Illuzzi-Orbon’s other well-known cases is the 2010 conviction of Natavia Lowery for the murder of celebrity real estate broker Linda Stein. She also negotiated guilty pleas from Ja Rule for attempted gun possession in 2010 and Jay Z for assault in 2001.