Just as it looked like there were no experienced prosecutors available to help deal with an increased volume of crime, the short-staffed Cayuga County District Attorney's Office found the right person to fill its remaining position.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
Romolo Canzano recently began working in the Cayuga County District Attorney's office as an assistant D.A.
Romolo Canzano recently began working in the Cayuga County District Attorney's office as an assistant D.A.
When one of his assistant district attorneys moved to a different job last February, Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said he spent the next 10 months looking for an experienced replacement. After no qualified candidates surfaced, Budelmann decided to change the position to an entry-level job.
Instead, Syracuse native Rome Canzano, a lawyer with seven years of experience in the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office and a private law firm, applied for the position in November.
“I asked where was he the last 10 months,” Budelmann said. “Just when I decided to start looking for an entry-level attorney, I get someone with seven years of experience applying.”
Canzano, who graduated with a law degree from Syracuse University in 2001, said after spending the past three years working for a private law firm, he discovered the direction he wanted to take his career.
“I knew I wanted to go back to prosecution because it has the ability to do justice,” Canzano said. “When I was in law school and even as a little kid, when I thought about what law was, (prosecution) was what I thought of.”
Because Canzano has four years of experience working as a prosecutor in Onondaga County handling general felony and domestic abuse cases, Budelmann said he believed Canzano would be able to immediately take on a case load. With a less experienced assistant district attorney, it could take up to two years before they are ready to handle court cases on their own.
“We were doing the work of six attorneys with only five people,” Budelmann said. “I don't think people really know it, but everyone at our office has been putting in a lot of hours and no one gets paid for overtime. Everyone is working about 12 to 20 hours of overtime every pay period, and hopefully he will be able to immediately reduce that.”
When he began working on Dec. 22, Budelmann said he gave Canzano three felony drug cases in Auburn City Court.
“It was definitely a baptism by fire, I just dropped him right in,” Budelmann said. “I think he has done a great job so far. He resolved the cases and the defendants are still in jail.”
Because of his experience, Canzano said he is able to be fair and aggressive in the courtroom by evaluating and understanding the defendants' crimes and balancing them with the victims' needs.
“I was brought here because of my experience,” Canzano said. “I am hoping to take on a role in this office that will help to make this community a safe place for everyone.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
Instead, Syracuse native Rome Canzano, a lawyer with seven years of experience in the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office and a private law firm, applied for the position in November.
“I asked where was he the last 10 months,” Budelmann said. “Just when I decided to start looking for an entry-level attorney, I get someone with seven years of experience applying.”
Canzano, who graduated with a law degree from Syracuse University in 2001, said after spending the past three years working for a private law firm, he discovered the direction he wanted to take his career.
“I knew I wanted to go back to prosecution because it has the ability to do justice,” Canzano said. “When I was in law school and even as a little kid, when I thought about what law was, (prosecution) was what I thought of.”
Because Canzano has four years of experience working as a prosecutor in Onondaga County handling general felony and domestic abuse cases, Budelmann said he believed Canzano would be able to immediately take on a case load. With a less experienced assistant district attorney, it could take up to two years before they are ready to handle court cases on their own.
“We were doing the work of six attorneys with only five people,” Budelmann said. “I don't think people really know it, but everyone at our office has been putting in a lot of hours and no one gets paid for overtime. Everyone is working about 12 to 20 hours of overtime every pay period, and hopefully he will be able to immediately reduce that.”
When he began working on Dec. 22, Budelmann said he gave Canzano three felony drug cases in Auburn City Court.
“It was definitely a baptism by fire, I just dropped him right in,” Budelmann said. “I think he has done a great job so far. He resolved the cases and the defendants are still in jail.”
Because of his experience, Canzano said he is able to be fair and aggressive in the courtroom by evaluating and understanding the defendants' crimes and balancing them with the victims' needs.
“I was brought here because of my experience,” Canzano said. “I am hoping to take on a role in this office that will help to make this community a safe place for everyone.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
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