ITHACA, N.Y. — Local Ithaca attorney Edward Kopko was named the special prosecutor in a high-profile Binghamton case involving the Broome County District Attorney’s son.
DA Steve Cornwell’s son, Stephen Cornwell III, was charged with a misdemeanor for possessing a hypodermic instrument last week, WSKG reported.
In a statement from Cornwell, which the news organization republished, he stated:
“This morning, my 19-year-old son was arrested for criminally possessing a hypodermic instrument, a misdemeanor, by the Binghamton Police Department.
I will have a special prosecutor assigned to handle this case.
Many people are struggling in our community, and we are working toward a brighter future for all Broome County residents.”
It is unclear whether the incident involved suspected drug use or possession.
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Kopko was vying for the Democratic nomination as Tompkins County District Attorney before losing the spot to Matt Van Houten in a vote by the Tompkins County Democratic Committee last week.
In a phone interview Monday, he said he has not formally decided whether he will being seeking a third-party nomination, run as a write-in candidate or concede to Van Houten’s single-candidate run.
Featured photo by Brian Turner of Flickr.