My name is Mallory Greenstock. That’s not me in the picture. Since it’s plainly visible, I suppose it’s what the Author thinks I look like. But the gesture is pure me. Everything is a big shush, confidential, a secret. I’m an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. I work in our headquarters office in lower Manhattan. I’m head of the organized crime unit. Or was as of the events portrayed in Everything Is Jake (see our FAQ on this website). People ask me about what I do, and I say I oversee the development and trial of cases, and they ask what sorts of cases and I say federal felonies of all sorts committed by members of major criminal organizations, including violent gangs and the Mafia. It’s when people ask which particular cases that I start to clam up. It’s not my job to publicize them; it’s my job to win them fairly by competent staffing, investigation, preparation, trial, and appeals. I’d say we do a pretty good job.
Since the publication of the book a month ago, I’ve received much mail asking about a lot of things. Some letters have been quite detailed, wanting to know everything from my favorite song, color, bird, land-locked invertebrate, automobile, author, football, basketball, and baseball teams, Supreme Court justices, and dinnerware patterns to my choice of rug designs, books and reading material, pets, food types, movies, and even operas. I can’t imagine why anyone would care what I think about any of those things. In most cases I don’t even have an opinion. And what difference does it make if I think Albie’s Burgers are better than the hamburgers at Gentlemen’s Meats? Holy Moley, why do people bother?
Am I happy about the fate of Romo Malbonum? Personally? Yes. Will I advocate leniency in light of the facts? I doubt it. Am I worried? Yes. I’m always worried. That’s what makes a good prosecutor. Am I going to continue to be a prosecutor in light of the book’s surprising denouement? I hope so. I think so.
I’m sorry I can’t reply individually to every letter or email our readers have sent. It’s really rather overwhelming. I thought the Yale Law School alumnae fund solicitation was over the top. Who knew about fans? But in answer to Mr. T. B. W.’s inquiry, No, it’s highly unlikely that the Southern District website will post my real picture any time soon.
