The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Roslynn R. Mauskopf, has taken over the investigation of the marine casualty involving the Staten Island ferry Andrew J. Berberi on October 15. The investigation will determine whether there is criminal liability involved.
In a statement release last week, Mauskopf says: “Collectively, we have now come to the conclusion that it is in the best interests of justice, and the safety of the millions who travel on New York's waterways each year, that the investigation proceed under federal jurisdiction by my Office. We are committed to using the powerful tools available to us under federal law to get full and truthful answers to determine what happened on the Berberi that day. We are committed to marshaling all federal and local investigative resources to follow the facts and determine if there is criminal liability. And, if we find that crimes occurred, we will hold accountable those individuals whose conduct resulted in the tragic deaths of ten innocent commuters.”