New Manhattan DA won't pursue resisting arrest, other non-violent, non-felony charges, angering cops

[left-of-center2012]

In a time of rising mayhem on city streets, Manhattan’s new district attorney wants to dial back prosecution of minor crimes. Alvin Bragg, a former federal prosecutor sworn to office Jan. 1 as Manhattan’s first Black DA, told his staff not to bother with many cases of fare beating, resisting arrest and other nonviolent crimes — a move toward fulfilling his campaign promise of criminal justice reform.

“My commitment to making incarceration a matter of last resort is immutable,” Bragg wrote — before adding: “The path to get there through these policies will be dynamic, and, not static.” (Less people locked up in jail)

Resisting arrest can only be charged if the person is resisting arrest for a serious crime — and the charge of obstructing governmental administration can only be charged against people who are aiding someone who is resisting arrest for a serious crime.

Bragg asked his staff not to pursue certain misdemeanor cases of trespassing — so long as they don’t involve stalking or crimes covered by laws meant to bar abuse by family members against each other.

Burglary can only be prosecuted as having happened in someone’s home if suspects enter a place with direct access to a building’s residential space, the memo says. That means people who burglarize apartment building basements, or basements of commercial buildings with apartments on upper floors, would only face burglary charges carrying some lesser punishments.

Bragg advised assistant DAs that people who miss court dates won’t automatically be assumed to be fleeing law enforcement, resulting in bench warrants.

Bragg said keeping defendants out of jail before their case goes to trial will now become standard practice except for homicides and violent assaults including sex offenses, domestic violence cases, and cases involving “public corruption, rackets, or major economic crimes.”

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-manhattan-da-alvin-bragg-crimes-not-prosecuted-changes-20220104-lmu23fwjc5dyvmdthv35tjot5e-story.html

[left-of-center2012]

1. Alvin Bragg is elected first Black Manhattan DA

Alvin Bragg, a former federal prosecutor and son of Harlem, was elected Manhattan’s first Black district attorney on Tuesday, promising a progressive approach in the powerful prosecutor’s office.

Throughout the primary campaign, Bragg highlighted racial disparities in the criminal justice system and promised to focus on unraveling mass incarceration. He beat a field of eight Democrats.

Bragg, who attended Harvard Law School, has said he was repeatedly held at gunpoint by cops as he grew up in Harlem in the rugged 1980s. He has promised his formative experiences in Manhattan would influence the way he would operate as district attorney.

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/nyc-elections-2021/ny-nyc-manhattan-da-alvin-braggs-wins-the-general-election-20211103-a5mwddfpk5fe3lqkwtxkdkxgou-story.html

[DFW]

2. The police have only bad cops to blame for making resisting trivial

How many videos have we seen where steroid-addled redneck cops were torturing people, shouting, “stop resisting!” when they were obviously doing no such thing? Did they think the pendulum would never swing the other way?

[multigraincracker]

5. Cops on steroids is a

bigger problem than one would think. Every use of force need a required blood test. Be fewer law suits and less violence.

[msongs]

3. one can imagine plenty of those so called charges are just made up nt

[Me.]

4. Do Not Care For His Policy On Fare Beaters Or Burgulary

if they burgle why would they face lesser charges? As for fare beaters...the rest of us end up paying for that loss of revenue or does he intend for everyone to ride free?

[former9thward]

6. If there is no penalty why would anyone pay the fare?

[rockfordfile]

7. I agree

[Squeaky41]

8. Fare Jumping

Why not make the gates 7 feet tall with locking and alarms at attempts? Use machine purchased tokens or prepaid cards for payment. Some travel really cuts into minimum wage folks net pay.

[The Mouth]

9. And every murder or other violent crime by someone this guy lets out awaiting trial

Will become another Willie Horton.


Dumb, dumb, dumb

Dirtbags deserve to be behind bars.