Manhattan District Attorney, Under Fire, Adjusts Lenient Policies

[Calista241]

Source: NY Times

The Manhattan district attorney on Friday issued harsher new guidance on the prosecution of gun possession and robbery that revised and in some cases reversed policies in a memo, released in his first week in office, that had been criticized as too lenient.

Within days of taking office on Jan. 1, the district attorney, Alvin Bragg, instructed prosecutors in the memo to avoid seeking jail time for all but the most serious crimes. Its release prompted weeks of pushback from police officers, business owners and public officials and marred the first month of his tenure.

Much of his time since has been devoted to clarifying and modifying the policies outlined in the document, which he has acknowledged was confusing and legalistic.

The memo had instructed prosecutors to avoid seeking jail time for certain crimes including robberies, assaults and gun possession. Mr. Bragg has said in several public appearances that the impact of the changes outlined in the memo had been overstated and misunderstood.

On Friday, in an email to his staff, Mr. Bragg said that the document had been “a source of confusion, rather than clarity,” and emphasized that it was up to the office’s prosecutors to determine how best to handle individual cases.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/nyregion/manhattan-da-alvin-bragg-memo-prosecution.html

[chowder66]

1. It's good that he's able to see changes that need to be corrected and made.

[iluvtennis]

2. Indeed. n/t

[cinematicdiversions]

3. There is someone who did not read the room.

We need to crackdown on the criminals in New York not give free mugging weekends.

[Jacson6]

13. This sounds like white privilege to me.

[ripcord]

4. It always baffles me

We want to stop gun crime but we don't really want to be too tough on people who commit gun crimes.

[erronis]

5. And, heaven forfend, we don't want to try to control guns in this country!

I'm still waiting for shoulder rocket-launchers to become popular - with NRA/USSR support, of course.

When all true Americans start to walk around with zillion-watt lasers that can instantly smoke someone 5 miles away, perhaps gov't will start caring?

[ripcord]

6. What is the point of new laws when prosecuters don't enforce the ones we have? nt

[winstars]

7. Happy Fitzmas DU'ers! This is the same guy we need to criminally get tRump...

Cyrus Vance had at one time coddled tRumP...

Then Vance was "was on the case" for what, the last 2-3 years?

Now he'd retired.

And THIS is the guy we hope can help save the country?

AG James of NY only does civil cases.


Fantastic!!!
NOT

[cadoman]

8. actually, they're pursuing parallel civil and criminal cases

It will close drumpf in like a vice.

[winstars]

9. Yes. The new DA who everyone is not impressed with is our guy for the criminal part.

Vance still being there or a new DA who we AREN'T reading about in the above story would be... better, IMHO.


Thats all I am saying.

Fitzmas more likely, again.

[Calista241]

10. Bragg worked for Preet Bharara at SDNY in the Obama Administration.

And we don't want a loud, outspoken prosecutor to do this. That kind of action may feel good, but it can be used by the defense.

[winstars]

11. I just want him to succeed. Stories like "DA Backtracking" or whatever don't help us...

As far as tRump goes...

Or for NY'ers...

[IbogaProject]

12. ugh

Why does gun possesion get lumped in with shoplifting? A gun, especially an unregistered one is a weapon with the primary purpose to maim and kill. That should be a no bail offence, or at least a very costly bail if NY requires everyone to qualify for a bail amount. NY has always be off that way, 4-6 for drugs, 2-3 for armed robbery etc. I guess they want a body in the ghetto before the are willing to take it seriously and then only half heartedly.