By JIMMY LAWTON

St. Lawrence County District Attorney Mary Rain says she agrees with state DA’s Association call for an expedited investigation in to various claims that have been filed against her.

District Attorney’s Association of New York President Thomas Zugibe issued letters to Chief Attorney Monica Duffy at Third Department Committee on Professional Standards and Justice Karen Peters of the Third Judicial Department.

For her part, Rain says she’d like to see the end of the investigation as well.

“DASNY and I have the same goal to have these allegations reviewed and resolved. I am very confident the committee will find appropriately, and confidence in justice system will be restored.”

Attempts by North Country This Week for updates on the investigation have been unsuccessful. Despite Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s acknowledgement of the investigation, Duffy has refused to answer questions.

Duffy returned an April phone call to the Committee on Professional Standards, but only to say that everything the committee does is kept private. She refused to answer even basic questions regarding what the committee does. Other attempts for updates regarding the investigation have been unsuccessful.

While there has been no information released as to how long the process may take, Zugibe says that the process should be accelerated to ensure St. Lawrence County residents have a functioning criminal justice system.

“I wrote to the Third Department Committee on Professional Standards in April 2016 expressing our concerns with respect to the potential erosion of public trust in the criminal justice system in St. Lawrence County. Events since my letter have exacerbated our concerns. The alleged wrongdoing in St. Lawrence County should be investigated and evaluated as quickly as possible. Therefore, I ask that you expedite the grievance process, with the urgency necessary to restore the public's confidence in its criminal justice system, while still affording all parties the process they deserve,” Zugibe wrote to Judge Peters.

“As you know, there have been detailed reports alleging that St. Lawrence District Attorney Mary Rain engaged in unethical conduct. Several months ago, reports in the media indicated that some people involved in the criminal justice system in that county, including a judge, had filed grievances accusing DA Rain of unethical conduct. DAASNY believed that quick action could minimize the impact the allegations were having on the system. More recently, reports have alleged additional legal and ethical violations.”

The letter goes on to describe additional problems and calls for swift action.

“There appears to be, as well, disarray in the St Lawrence County District Attorney's Office. According to reports, the Office appears to be unable to function properly, due to a lack of staffing caused in part by vacant ADA positions. Additionally, as you are well aware of the Office's past inability to meet appellate filing obligations. As of this writing, it appears that prosecutors are no longer staffing local Justice Courts in many towns and villages within St. Lawrence County. It may only be a matter of time before more serious cases are affected.

“It is vital that the grievance committee process proceed post-haste to minimize the damage to the system. We therefore urge you to make this matter the highest priority possible, to reduce the damage to the criminal justice system in St. Lawrence County. Any less will leave that county's residents without a functioning criminal justice system, to the detriment of its residents, victims and defendants.”