FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2025
The New York State Commission on Prosecutorial Conduct has determined that Sandra J. Doorley, District Attorney of Monroe County, should be publicly censured following the investigation of her failure to comply with a routine traffic stop, among other charges of misconduct, that occurred in Webster, New York.
On April 22, 2024, the District Attorney was reported to be speeding at a rate of 55 miles-per-hour in a 35 mile-per-hour zone. D.A. Doorley failed to stop when a Webster Police Officer tried to effectuate a lawful traffic stop and instead drove to her home. The Commission’s investigation confirms the District Attorney failed to comply with a lawful traffic stop, called the Webster Chief of Police and requested he tell the Police Officer to “leave [her] alone,” failed to follow police directives, repeatedly referenced her position as District Attorney, and became hostile and used profane language with the Police Officer.
Just days after the incident, though, D.A. Doorley made a statement to the public that omitted details about her interactions with law enforcement, stating “Once I realized that the intention of the car was to pull me over, I called the Webster Police Chief to inform him that I was not a threat and that I would speak to the Officer at my house down the street,” adding “I acknowledged that I was speeding, and I accepted the ticket.” She further professed that “Nobody, including your District Attorney, is above the rule of law, even traffic laws.”
However, body worn camera footage from the Webster Police Officer shows D.A. Doorley stating she didn’t “really care” if she was speeding, telling the Officer to call the Police Chief, and telling the Officer to leave her house, while using profane language. In her driveway, she called the Webster Chief of Police two more times, as more officers arrived at the scene to assist the first officer. During that time, she repeatedly refused to follow explicit directives given to her by the Officer who was attempting to effectuate a lawful traffic stop.
When D.A. Doorley eventually accepted the ticket from the Officer, she stated, “That’s fine, I’ll take care of it, since I’ll be prosecuting myself.” “Prosecutors are trusted public officials,” said Susan Friedman, Administrator to the Commission, “and their conduct inside and outside the courtroom matters. District Attorney Doorley’s conduct created the appearance that she is above the law. A public censure is the appropriate sanction to restore public confidence.”
DA Doorley cooperated with the Commission’s investigation and acknowledged that her misconduct warranted public censure. In its written opinion, the Commission noted:
The ethical obligations imposed by the Rules of Professional Conduct apply to all New York lawyers. It is especially important that prosecutors—given their role as public officials responsible for the administration of justice—comply with those ethical obligations. When a prosecutor engages in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice, especially illegal conduct that adversely reflects on the prosecutor’s honesty, trustworthiness, and fitness as a lawyer, public confidence in the justice system is undermined. When the prosecutor engaging in that conduct is the elected District Attorney, the local official primarily responsible for the fair administration of justice in the State’s criminal courts, the risk to public confidence in the justice system is particularly acute. In such a case, condemnation of the prosecutor’s misconduct should be clear and public.
The Commission has transmitted their Findings of Fact and Recommendation to the Attorney Grievance Committee for the Fourth Judicial Department. This is the first case to be adjudicated by the Commission and announced publicly. The Commission, which was established by statute in 2021, was first constituted in March 2023. Administrator Friedman began her work in March 2024, and the Commission’s online complaint portal for receiving complaints launched in October 2024.
Michael A. Simons, Chair of the Commission, stated, “Starting a new state agency from scratch is a complex process. In standing up the Commission, our focus has been ensuring not just that the Commission can receive complaints, but that the Commission can process those complaints fairly, investigate them thoroughly, and adjudicate them appropriately. Under the leadership of Administrator Friedman, the Commission’s staff continues to expand. Concluding this first case is a significant step in enabling the Commission to fulfill its important mission of holding prosecutors to the highest standards of ethical conduct and ensuring public confidence in our system of justice.”
The Commission was represented by Administrator Susan Friedman, Acting Deputy Director of Investigations Ryan Hayward, Acting Counsel Rachel Brown, and Acting Investigators Marty Stanford and Jeff Haber. District Attorney Sandra J. Doorley was represented by Robert Masters, Esq.