Jersey City attorney Jake Hudnut, a former public defender, was formally sworn in as the city’s chief municipal prosecutor during a ceremony at City Hall late this afternoon.
“Jake will bring a fairness to the prosecutor’s office, a progressive standpoint to our prosecutor’s office, a proactive standpoint to our prosecutor’s office: all things which I think are really, really important to Jersey City,” said Mayor Steven Fulop.
Fulop announced Hudnut’s new position during a small press conference in his office last month. He succeeds Armando Molina and earn an annual salary of $95,000.
After being sworn in by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez, Hudnut thanked the mayor, city council, his family and friends before explaining how he plans to handle the new post.
“The mayor and the law department have adopted my agenda of recognizing that low level, non-violent offenders sometimes are better served by rehabilitation rather than punishment,” he stated.
“That provides social services to offenders, reduces recidivism, strengthens bonds between underserved populations in city government and ultimately saves scarce municipal resources.”
Hudnut also stressed repeatedly that everyone that comes before the court, whether it’s someone accused of a crime or a complainant, deserves a fair shake – an attitude that he said was instilled in him by his mother.
“For my part, I hope to always be on the side justice in my arguments and in my service as chief prosecutor for the City of Jersey City and I promise that I see justice will be done everyday in our great municipal courts.”
The full ceremony streamed live on our Facebook page and can be viewed below:
