By Joe Whalen
The final chapter in a law enforcement epic revealed a bittersweet ending this week for James Delaney, a career prosecutor in the Queens district attorney’s office. After 31 years of service to the city, Delaney, a Queens native and Bellerose resident, retired on Monday.
“It was a happy day and it was a sad day,” said Delaney, 58, who began his career in the DA’s office on March 20, 1971. “Working with so many great colleagues over the years, I’m going to miss the camaraderie.”
Delaney’s story produced many highlights: the investigation and prosecution in 1996 of Zodiac serial killer Heriberto Seda; service in six different bureaus and for five consecutive district attorneys; and the 1992 double murder investigation of convicted police killer Patrick Bannon.
“It’s the satisfaction, obviously, of solving cases, but also the satisfaction of knowing we’re helping the families of victims with successful investigations that lead to successful prosecutions,” Delaney said of his profession’s most fulfilling aspect. “Sometimes the work we do can help them a little bit with closure.”
But the common thread in Delaney’s career proved to be the strength of character displayed by the protagonist.
“The people of Queens County and New York City were ably and devotedly served by Assistant District Attorney James Delaney, whose 31 years of public service were dedicated to the fight for public safety and a better quality of life,” said DA Richard Brown. “He investigated and prosecuted a wide variety of criminals from murderers to white-collar wrongdoers. He has been an asset to this office, to our community and to our city.”
Delaney plans to pursue his hobbies of photography and genealogy. He and his wife, Sylvia, will continue traveling to France twice a year to visit their son, Peter, a correspondent with The Wall Street Journal who lives in Paris with his wife, Lisbeth, and their 20-month-old son, Jack.
But Delaney will devote the bulk of his time to the civic arena, where he has helped strengthen communities in Queens for more than 31 years.
A former president of the Bellerose Commonwealth Civic Association, he remains a member of its board of directors. He served Community Board 3 in Elmhurst shortly after graduating from Fordham Law School in 1968. A member of Community Board 13 for about 28 years, Delaney said he will continue working with that organization. He and Sylvia are active members of a local church.
“I’m glad Jim’s going to have more time to work with the community board and the civic organizations,” said Richard Hellenbrecht, president of Community Board 13.
“I’ve been working with him for many, many years. He’s a tremendously dependable guy, the kind of guy you can rely on to get things done and stimulate and inspire people,” Hellenbrecht said. “With the community board, I can always rely on Jim to do a thorough and complete analysis of whatever issue is at hand.”
In the past decade, the homicide rate in Queens has fallen dramatically. A total of 357 murders were reported in 1992, compared to only 87 last year.
“We don’t have the large numbers of homicides we once had, and that gives us a lot more time to devote to other cases,” Delaney said. “It’s very satisfying to see the people of Queens County safer, or so it seems, as far as homicides are concerned.”
Delaney attributes much of the success in the district attorney’s office to its current chief.
“Since Richard Brown became DA, he’s been taking such an active role early in investigations,” Delaney said. “We feel we can develop the best case possible by getting involved in the early stages, and that’s what he’s been doing.”
Delaney was in the same class as former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani at Bishop Loughlin High School. Born on D-Day, June 6, 1944, he felt compelled to engage in public service from an early age.
“It’s sad,” Delaney said of his retirement, “but it’s time for me to move on.”
Reach reporter Joe Whalen by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 146.
