I can remember the first meeting I had with Ken Thompson and I immediately knew God had His hand on him to do great things. Although I was not certain just how his gifts would be utilized in the field of law, because of his empathy for the disenfranchised and those without a voice, it became clear Ken was destined for a life of public service. It’s very interesting how God orders a chosen person’s steps. With Ken Thompson, growing up in the inner city with a mother in law enforcement provided a perfect blending as to how his law education would help guide the multitudes in urban areas through a vast legal system of roadblocks, inconsistencies, bureaucracy and red tape.
I had the pleasure of being Ken’s spiritual adviser for nearly 20 years. In that role, the two of us had the opportunity to grow together. I observed Ken’s maturity blossom as a husband, father and leader. I’ve been witness to his ability to make major decisions, which ultimately led him to run to become Brooklyn’s first African-American district attorney. For Ken, life could have taken a comfortable turn after gaining prominence as a federal prosecutor. The Abner Louima case catapulted him into the national spotlight, which afforded him the opportunity to open up a thriving Midtown law practice. However, those who are called are not led to necessarily live lives of comfort in relative obscurity. There was a greater need and Ken was the right man for the job.
After more than 20 years as Brooklyn’s top prosecutor, Charles Hynes started getting the wrong type of headlines. There were accusations of his office not prosecuting child sex abuse cases in the Hasidic community. Then there came news of those wrongly convicted that still languished in the city’s penal system. Ken wanted to make a difference. Running for office requires a lot of money and well-placed connections. Over a series of conversations, I convinced Ken not to jump into the ring too soon, but told him the opportunity would soon present itself. With the backing of Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and one of the city’s most powerful unions, Local 1199, the foundation was set. What ultimately resulted was a man with a vision, determination and purpose to revamp a legal system in desperate need of an overhaul.
Three years after taking office, Ken and his model Conviction Review Unit moved to vacate more than 20 cases of people wrongly convicted. His efforts were starting to receive national attention and although not everyone was enthusiastic about change, the positive results and his relentless work effort paved the way for other sweeping reforms that kept low-level offenders out of jail, giving them hope for a better life.
The cornerstone was set, but there were indeed some challenges. In his first year, a string of high profile cases both in New York and across the country, in which unarmed African-American males were killed at the hands of police, put Thompson and his office in the spotlight. This attention came after a rookie Chinese police officer on patrol shot and killed an unarmed African-American man in a Brooklyn housing project. Thompson’s decision not to give the officer jail time no doubt caused an uproar in parts of the African-American community, but for a prosecutor, making tough decisions can oftentimes result in no-win situations. Yet the decisions must be made.
Being a spiritual leader and a man of faith doesn’t divorce one from the emotional pain that comes when someone so dear to you makes the transition to be with the Lord. That grieving process is just as real for me as anyone else. However, I do gain strength and take comfort in what Ken has left behind—a lasting legacy of making changes in a legal system that is now in a better position to champion the causes of the disenfranchised. So I thank God. It is something I can rejoice in. I can also rejoice in having had Ken in my life, even for such a short period of time. I am truly grateful to God for that.
The Reverend Dr. A.R. Bernard
Senior Pastor, Christian Cultural Center
