The Marshall Project

Took a Plea? Brooklyn's District Attorney Will Support Your Parole

Citing his family tragedy, Eric Gonzalez supports parole for more prisoners.

In 1996, when Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez was just starting out as a junior prosecutor, his younger brother was shot and killed in the Bronx.

“I know how much the loss of my brother impacted my family,” said Gonzalez, who was 27 at the time. “My father never got over it.”

When the man convicted of the shooting came up for parole after serving 10 years for manslaughter, Gonzalez’s father told the parole board he opposed it. Release was denied. Two years, later, however, the board voted to grant the parole.

“Ironically, when that process was over,” Gonzalez said in a recent interview, “knowing that this guy was punished and was put through the system, and my father didn’t have to

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