BUFFALO, N.Y. — John Flynn's name will soon come off of the door as you enter the Erie County District Attorney's office in downtown Buffalo.
Flynn is leaving before his second term ends to take a job in the private sector. He is joining the law firm Lippes Mathias LLP.
Looking back on his career as Erie County's top prosecutor, Flynn said "I hope that everyone thinks that I was fair and that I treated everybody with dignity and respect. No matter what you did, no matter how heinous a crime, I want to put you in jail, but I want to put you in jail with dignity and respect. I think that that's important and I hope that I've done that. I think I have and I hope that's my legacy," Flynn said standing in the law library.
He appreciates the role of a district attorney. "Nothing is more important than the safety of our community, so I have had the privilege, in my opinion, of having the best and the most important job, I believe, and I don't mean to say that egotistically or, you know, sound like a jerk at all, but I I firmly believe that I've had the most important job in state or local government."
There are some things he wanted to see improve, but unfortunately they have not. He has not seen an improvement in a diverse jury pool.
"We created a working group with the chief judge of the Federal Court here in Buffalo and the Chief Judge here in Erie County and myself, the three of us. We brought other people involved. It is still a work in progress," he said.
" I think that a lot of people, especially in the African American community and Hispanic community, don't trust the criminal justice system. And they say to themselves, I don't want to participate in it. I don't want to be part of something that I don't trust. And I recognize that."
Flynn said he has no plans to return to an elected position.
Michael Keane will serve as the acting district attorney.
Related Video: