BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane announced Wednesday that he's joining other state leaders in supporting legislation to combat New York State's opioid crisis.
According to the Erie County Department of Health, there have already been over 100 confirmed opioid-related overdose deaths in the county this year alone.
The new bills, introduced by the Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney, are aimed at cracking down on how these drug cases are handled within the legal system.
"Chelsea's Law,” the first piece of legislation, is named in honor of a woman named Chelsea Murray who fatally overdosed from fentanyl traced back to her alleged supplier.
The bill would allow a drug dealer to be charged with manslaughter or aggravated manslaughter when they know a controlled substance is likely to cause the death of another person, and still sells or delivers it.
Keane said this is long overdue and that it would allow district attorneys and police officers statewide to do their jobs by getting people who sell these drugs off the street and behind bars.
“We're all sick and tired of this and it's about time that the legislature recognizes this as the problem that is and takes this seriously,” he said. “We have to evolve. Fentanyl didn't exist in the way it does today, you know, 10, 15 years ago, and we have to recognize that.”
The second bill would identify the drug xylazine, which is an animal tranquilizer, as a controlled substance. Both Keane and Tierney said they're seeing more drugs laced with this and the bill would allow them to prosecute dealers that are selling them.
The final bill would allow families of fatal overdose victims to access crime victim assistance funds.
"The same problem that we see in Suffolk County, the same problem we see in Erie County, the same problem we see in New York State and across the country,” Tierney said. “Everyone is going and experiencing the death of their citizens."
He hopes by holding these dealers accountable while simultaneously expanding support for victims will send a message that New York will not tolerate those who profit from addiction and death.
The district attorney’s office said they are committed to helping find solutions to reduce overdose deaths in the community while also increasing public awareness about the dangers of opioids.
Call the 24-hour addiction hotline at (716) 831-7007 for immediate support.
Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here.
