Charles Joseph Hynes (May 28, 1935 – January 29, 2019) was an American lawyer and public official who served in several senior roles in New York City government. A member of the Democratic Party, he is best known for his long tenure as Kings County District Attorney and for a period as New York City Fire Commissioner.
Career and offices
Hynes spent decades working in the New York legal system, primarily as a prosecutor and as an elected county district attorney. Key offices and positions he held include:
- 24th New York City Fire Commissioner (1980–1982)
- Kings County (Brooklyn) District Attorney (1990–2013)
During his time in public service he oversaw a large urban prosecutor's office, directed criminal prosecutions, and participated in city-level public safety policy discussions. His responsibilities combined legal decision-making with administrative leadership of prosecutors, investigators and support staff.
Work and initiatives
As district attorney, Hynes managed prosecutions ranging from misdemeanors to high-profile felonies, and his office handled a wide variety of criminal justice functions common to large county prosecutors' offices. He implemented and supervised units and programs intended to address violent crime, public corruption, and victims' services. He also interacted with municipal agencies while previously serving as Fire Commissioner, a role focused on fire safety, emergency response and department administration.
Controversies and legacy
Hynes' long tenure drew public attention to both his prosecutorial achievements and to questions raised about convictions and office practices. In later years his record was examined by critics and scholars interested in criminal justice reform and conviction review. His career is often discussed in the context of debates over accountability, prosecutorial discretion and post-conviction review in large urban jurisdictions.
Personal life and death
Born in New York City, Hynes lived much of his life in the region and remained a prominent legal figure in Brooklyn. He died on January 29, 2019 at a hospital in Delray Beach, Florida, after undergoing heart surgery and while receiving treatment for leukemia. News reports summarized his passing and noted his decades of public service in New York; see contemporary obituaries and public records for more detail.
For background and contemporary coverage, see general resources on New York public officials and local media profiles of his offices and major cases: biographical source, news coverage, medical report summary, and official statements.