ATLANTIC COUNTY, N.J. — Leaders from the Atlantic City branch of the NAACP and allied community figures publicly demanded Monday that Atlantic County Prosecutor William Reynolds resign, intensifying a growing controversy over his handling of high-profile cases involving local officials.
The news conference was held Monday morning at Second Baptist Church after technical issues forced a last-minute move from the originally planned St. James AME Church. The gathering brought together civil rights advocates and local leaders critical of Reynolds’ prosecutorial decisions, particularly the failed prosecution of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small and subsequent moves to dismiss charges against other city officials.
Kaleem Shabazz, president of the Atlantic City NAACP chapter, led the remarks and directly challenged Reynolds’ judgment and motivations. Shabazz accused the prosecutor of eroding trust between law enforcement and the community, alleging that political and racial considerations influenced key decisions. While Shabazz acknowledged that Reynolds had done positive work in the past, he said the recent events “broke any trust” with city residents.
Reynolds has vigorously rejected the criticisms. In a written statement released ahead of the event, he defended his actions and the independence of his office. “Upon taking my oath (in 2022), I swore to uphold the laws of the State of New Jersey and the United States, and I intend to keep doing so with integrity and independence,” he wrote. “The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office rejects any further allegation that its decisions are driven by political or racial considerations.”
The clash stems from a highly publicized child-abuse and witness tampering case against Mayor Small, who was acquitted by a jury earlier this year. That verdict prompted the Prosecutor’s Office to seek the dismissal of related charges against Atlantic City Schools Superintendent Dr. La’Quetta Small and Atlantic City High School Principal Dr. Constance Days-Chapman — moves that further fueled local debate over prosecutorial discretion.
Reynolds also alleges interference from Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson in prosecutorial decisions, a matter that could play out further in court.
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