The Erie County District Attorney's Office has requested, and was granted, the appointment of a special prosecutor to assist Buffalo Police Internal Affairs to review the April 2024 incident involving Erie County Sheriff's Narcotics and Intelligence Chief D.J. Granville.
The veteran sheriff's official was involved in a series of late-night crashes in a county-owned pickup truck in April of last year, which resulted in the county paying out around $60,000 to residents in Buffalo whose parked vehicles were damaged.
Questions have lingered about the incident, including from the Erie County Legislature, which has recently begun its own investigation into the matter.
Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane asked a judge for the appointment of a special prosecutor, following a request for a legal review from the Buffalo Police Department's Internal Affairs Division.
"As a close family relative of Chief Granville is an employee of the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, there is the potential appearance of impropriety with this office advising the Buffalo Police Department on this matter," Keane said in a statement. "Therefore, my office filed an application for a special prosecutor to handle the duties of a District Attorney pertaining to this incident. Today, the application was granted by Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio."
The judge appointed Niagara County DA Brian Seamen to the role, and he will assist the Buffalo Police Department in regards to Granville.
