Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol (D-North Brooklyn) was joined today by the bill’s Senate sponsor, Senator Daniel Squadron, fellow elected officials and Rabbi David Niederman, Executive Director of The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn (UJO) to announce the introduction of the Expedited Missing Persons’ Identification Act (A.09006).

The Expedited Missing Persons’ Identification Act would amend the law to require that the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) promptly provide all law enforcement agencies within the state with personal descriptions and other identifying data for unidentified deceased persons. In the current process, after the coroner examines the body the identifying information is sent to DCJS with no further mandated actions. The legislation will require DCJS to automatically send this information to all law enforcement agencies in the state, allowing agencies to compare the information to their files of missing person. The information provided by DCJS will be basic identifying data, such as height, weight, race, sex and approximate age.

The legislation comes in light of the recent case of Menachem Stark, who was abducted from his Brooklyn office and later found murdered in Long Island. The body was initially unidentified by law enforcement in Long Island and it took several hours to match his identity to the missing person in Brooklyn.

Lentol went on to explain that families currently have the right to exempt a body from an autopsy based upon religious grounds. In the case of Menachem Stark, the family subsequently expressed their desire to assert this right, but it was too late. This legislation will aid families in asserting this right in a more expeditious process.

“The lapse in time between finding an unidentified deceased person and matching them with an identity is crucial to an investigation. The legislation will take direct aim at efficiently streamlining this process for both the DCJS and local police precincts,” said Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol. “Any modifications to the law that improve the criminal justice system are welcomed with open arms, and as Chair of the Codes Committee I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.”

“When families suffer tragedies, they have to know that everything possible will be done to inform them promptly and move the investigation forward,” said State Senator Daniel Squadron. “This bill will help families find closure, while streamlining the investigative process. I’m proud to join Assemblyman Lentol, Rabbi Niederman, and the community in pushing this issue forward.”

“It is important that information be streamlined and made available in a way that leads to a successful investigation. Better coordination would aide investigations of missing persons and support the needs of the families of those gone missing. I applaud Assemblyman Lentol for introducing the Expedited Missing Persons’ Identification Act,” said Council Member Stephen Levin.

“I thank my colleagues Assembly Member Lentol and State Senator Squadron for introducing the Expedited Missing Persons’ Identification Act. Our Brooklyn family is still mourning the loss of Menachem Stark, a husband, father and member of a proud community. In his memory, and with the hope that future tragedies may be prevented or mitigated, I support the Expedited Missing Persons’ Identification Act and its aim to make our criminal justice system work better for the people of our state,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

“This measure will make the most of modern technologies available to law enforcement throughout the state. The identity of the deceased is a critical first step of any investigation, and the sooner it is known the better. This is a common sense measure that gives investigators an upper hand, and friends and families the closure they need,” said State Senator Martin Malavé Dilan.

“This legislation will help bring closure to anxious families more quickly, while also helping law enforcement agencies conduct investigations in a more timely and expeditious way. I stand strong with Assemblyman Lentol in full support of this legislation,” said Assemblywoman Rhoda Jacobs.

“As Assemblywoman of the 53rd District, I want to thank Assembly Member Joe Lentol for introducing legislation that is so important to families in New York. It is important that the investigations are done in an expedited fashion because we want the families to be able to begin the grieving process,” said Assemblywoman Maritza Davila. “In the 21st century, families should not have to wait for expedited information regarding their missing family members. Avonte Oquendo is an example of how the system has failed the families in these cases. I am calling on my colleagues in the State Assembly and State Senate to pass this legislation that affects families in all of New York State.”

“I stand with Assemblyman Lentol in full support of the Expedited Missing Persons’ Identification Act. Coordination between agencies is critical to not only advancing investigations, but also in lessening the stress of the families of missing persons. Concern must be at its highest for these cases,” said Council Member Laurie Cumbo.

“We applaud the introduction of the Expedited Missing Persons’ Identification Act by Assemblyman Lentol and Senator Squadron supporting our request to create a common sense tool to help Police Departments apprehend murder suspects swiftly, and bring closure to murder victim’s loved ones. In Menachem Stark’s case many hours elapsed before the NYPD was informed that a body, possibly Mr. Stark, was callously lying in a smoldering dumpster in Nassau County. Precious time was lost in the hunt, that continues until today – over two months later, for Menachem’s kidnappers and murderers, which the NYPD is working very hard to solve,” said Rabbi David Niederman, Executive Director of The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn.

(YWN Desk – NYC)