The International Association of Prosecutors has awarded its medal of honour to former Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau. Morgenthau joins prior honorees Nelson Mandela, Simon Wiesenthal, Justice Richard Goldstone of South Africa and Judge Louise Arbour of the Supreme Court of Canada in receiving the highest award bestowed by the Hague-based group. Morgenthau was presented with the award Tuesday by James Hamilton, president of the association and former director of public prosecutions of Ireland, during a ceremony attended by more than 300 current and former assistant district attorneys and hosted by his successor, Cyrus Vance Jr.
Hamilton described Morgenthau, who served as Manhattan district attorney for nearly 45 years and U.S. attorney for the Southern District during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, as "the epitome of a tough but fair prosecutor." In his remarks, Morgenthau said he always viewed his job "to administer those offices in an even-handed, non-partisan and independent manner without fear or favor." He said he appointed assistants based on merit. He noted that 82 of his former assistants have become federal or state judges, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
