Donald Manes
Encyclopedia
Donald R. Manes was a controversial Democratic Party
politician from New York City
. He served as borough president
of the New York City borough
of Queens
from 1971 until just before his suicide
in 1986.
-born Manes was the youngest borough president in Queens history. During his term, Manes turned his position from merely a ceremonial role into a more proactive political job.
He was re-elected four more times, and was a delegate to the 1980 Democratic National Convention
.
Manes' popularity plummeted in late 1985, when he was criticized over two of his pet projects he wanted to build in Queens's largest public park, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
. One proposal was for a Grand Prix
auto racetrack in the park, where the 1939 New York World's Fair
and the 1964 New York World's Fair
had been held. Local community leaders lamented the idea, which became the first major project of his that was opposed.
Also that year, Manes worked to build a domed football-baseball stadium in the park, but it was opposed by local businessmen in the Flushing
area. When Queens couldn't secure a football franchise, the plan died.
One of the biggest controversies came in late 1985, when Manes wanted to wire the borough for cable television. Manes rejected a proposal by the Queens-based Ortho-O-Vision company to place cable lines in the borough, and instead awarded contracts to mega-companies Warner Communications
and Time-Life
, as well as a cable firm owned by former Manhattan
borough president Percy Sutton
. Local communities were outraged by the fact he passed over a local firm for large national companies.
i consul at Borough Hall in Kew Gardens
on January 9, 1986. He left in his own car and was followed by his chauffeur up Queens Boulevard
. He was later found in his car in the early morning hours of January 10; his wrists were slit and he was bleeding profusely. He initially claimed that two men had carjacked and attacked him, but later recanted the statement, saying he had attempted suicide
.
In the following weeks, it was alleged that Manes had used political appointments and favors as the source of large kickback schemes involving personal bureaucratic fiefdom
s such as the New York City Parking Violations Bureau. Zoning and cable TV franchises were being investigated, and some of Manes' appointees and associates were indicted
or forced to resign. Manes himself stepped down as borough president in February.
The scandal became nationwide news and a continuing top story in New York. A fictionalized version served as the basis for the pilot episode of the television series Law & Order
. Manes, now facing the prospect of indictment on corruption charges, stayed in seclusion until March. On the night of March 13 he took a phone call from his psychiatrist, who discussed with Manes (and his wife on an extension phone upstairs) additional care. Shortly before 10 p.m. the psychiatrist was called away from the phone and, while on hold, Manes reached into a kitchen drawer, pulled out a large kitchen knife and plunged the eight-inch blade into his heart. His daughter screamed for her mother, who came down to find Manes on the floor in a pool of blood. Marlene Manes pulled the knife from his heart as their daughter frantically called 911. Donald Manes was pronounced dead at the scene.
Less than three years later, on November 17, 1988, Morton Manes, Donald Manes' twin brother, attempted suicide in the same manner.
A loosely fictionalized version of the events leading to Manes' suicide served as the basis of the motion picture City Hall
.
Donald Manes was followed in office by Deputy Borough President Claire Shulman
, who served until 2002.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He served as borough president
Borough president
Borough President is an elective office in each of the five boroughs of New York City.-Reasons for establishment:...
of the New York City borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
from 1971 until just before his suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in 1986.
Career
Elected at age 37, the BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
-born Manes was the youngest borough president in Queens history. During his term, Manes turned his position from merely a ceremonial role into a more proactive political job.
He was re-elected four more times, and was a delegate to the 1980 Democratic National Convention
1980 Democratic National Convention
The 1980 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party nominated President Jimmy Carter for President and Vice President Walter Mondale for Vice President...
.
Manes' popularity plummeted in late 1985, when he was criticized over two of his pet projects he wanted to build in Queens's largest public park, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, often referred to as Flushing Meadow Park, Flushing Meadows Park or Flushing Meadows, is a public park in New York City. It contains the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the current venue for the U.S...
. One proposal was for a Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
auto racetrack in the park, where the 1939 New York World's Fair
1939 New York World's Fair
The 1939–40 New York World's Fair, which covered the of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park , was the second largest American world's fair of all time, exceeded only by St. Louis's Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. Many countries around the world participated in it, and over 44 million people...
and the 1964 New York World's Fair
1964 New York World's Fair
The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City. Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding," dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe";...
had been held. Local community leaders lamented the idea, which became the first major project of his that was opposed.
Also that year, Manes worked to build a domed football-baseball stadium in the park, but it was opposed by local businessmen in the Flushing
Flushing, Queens
Flushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
area. When Queens couldn't secure a football franchise, the plan died.
One of the biggest controversies came in late 1985, when Manes wanted to wire the borough for cable television. Manes rejected a proposal by the Queens-based Ortho-O-Vision company to place cable lines in the borough, and instead awarded contracts to mega-companies Warner Communications
Warner Communications
Warner Communications or Warner Communications, Inc. was established in 1971 when Kinney National Company spun off its non-entertainment assets, due to a financial scandal over its parking operations and changed its name....
and Time-Life
Time-Life
Time–Life is a creator and direct marketer of books, music, video/DVD, and multimedia products. Its products are sold throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia through television, print, retail, the Internet, telemarketing, and direct sales....
, as well as a cable firm owned by former Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
borough president Percy Sutton
Percy Sutton
Percy Ellis Sutton was a prominent black American political and business leader. A civil-rights activist and lawyer, he was also a Freedom Rider and the legal representative for Malcolm X...
. Local communities were outraged by the fact he passed over a local firm for large national companies.
Downfall and suicide
Shortly after his inauguration for a fifth term, Manes attended a dinner party for the new IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i consul at Borough Hall in Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens, Queens
Kew Gardens is a triangular-shaped neighborhood in central Queens bounded to the north by the Jackie Robinson Parkway , to the east by Van Wyck Expressway and 131st Street, to the south by Hillside Avenue, and to the west by Park Lane, Abingdon Road and 118th Street...
on January 9, 1986. He left in his own car and was followed by his chauffeur up Queens Boulevard
Queens Boulevard
Queens Boulevard is a major thoroughfare in the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Queens connecting communities from Midtown Manhattan to Jamaica...
. He was later found in his car in the early morning hours of January 10; his wrists were slit and he was bleeding profusely. He initially claimed that two men had carjacked and attacked him, but later recanted the statement, saying he had attempted suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
In the following weeks, it was alleged that Manes had used political appointments and favors as the source of large kickback schemes involving personal bureaucratic fiefdom
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
s such as the New York City Parking Violations Bureau. Zoning and cable TV franchises were being investigated, and some of Manes' appointees and associates were indicted
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
or forced to resign. Manes himself stepped down as borough president in February.
The scandal became nationwide news and a continuing top story in New York. A fictionalized version served as the basis for the pilot episode of the television series Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
. Manes, now facing the prospect of indictment on corruption charges, stayed in seclusion until March. On the night of March 13 he took a phone call from his psychiatrist, who discussed with Manes (and his wife on an extension phone upstairs) additional care. Shortly before 10 p.m. the psychiatrist was called away from the phone and, while on hold, Manes reached into a kitchen drawer, pulled out a large kitchen knife and plunged the eight-inch blade into his heart. His daughter screamed for her mother, who came down to find Manes on the floor in a pool of blood. Marlene Manes pulled the knife from his heart as their daughter frantically called 911. Donald Manes was pronounced dead at the scene.
Less than three years later, on November 17, 1988, Morton Manes, Donald Manes' twin brother, attempted suicide in the same manner.
A loosely fictionalized version of the events leading to Manes' suicide served as the basis of the motion picture City Hall
City Hall (film)
City Hall is a 1996 film directed by Harold Becker. Al Pacino and John Cusack star as the Mayor of New York and his idealistic deputy mayor....
.
Donald Manes was followed in office by Deputy Borough President Claire Shulman
Claire Shulman
Claire K. Shulman is an American politician. She was the borough president of Queens, New York from 1986 until 2002; the first woman to hold this position in New York City's history....
, who served until 2002.