You might recall the tale of Jose Alba, a convenience store employee in New York City who fatally defended himself against an assailant. This assailant leaped over the counter and launched an attack.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg initially indicted him on murder charges. Then, Bragg had him incarcerated at Rikers Island before ultimately dismissing the charges and setting him free.
Accused of Murder: Alba’s Self-Defense Story
On Monday, Alba was granted the opportunity to confront Bragg directly and he seized the moment with zeal.
Addressing the congressional committee examining Bragg’s conduct, Alba recounted his experiences with the DA’s office and detailed the harrowing week he endured in prison, unable to secure bail.
Alba informed House Republicans on Monday that Bragg failed to conduct a thorough “investigation” into his case. He further asserted that law enforcement and prosecutors should “focus on actual criminals, rather than targeting an innocent individual like myself.”
Bodega clerk Jose Alba among Bragg ‘victims’ at House Judiciary hearing https://t.co/pOXCfsVjXo pic.twitter.com/zNPwCxgjJ5
— New York Post (@nypost) April 12, 2023
Alba’s account carries significant weight, as it draws attention to a frequently overlooked aspect of Bragg’s ineffectual leadership within the District Attorney’s office.
Bragg’s Leniency for Violent Offenders
Alba’s week-long confinement at Rikers Island resulted from a staggering $250,000 bail, which he candidly admitted on Monday was beyond his financial means. It is crucial to acknowledge that Bragg initially requested the court to impose a half-million-dollar bail.
This entire ordeal unfolded under the purview of New York’s “bail reform” legislation, which Bragg ardently endorses. Alba had no criminal history; video evidence substantiated his claim of being assaulted before his act of self-defense.
The NYC bodega owner who faced a murder charge for defending himself when he was violently assaulted called out Alvin Bragg for targeting "an innocent man like me."
Prosecutors should "be aimed at people committing crime," Jose Alba said. https://t.co/SRpCJbKDwe pic.twitter.com/MicQ86TDAu
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) April 17, 2023
Alba’s legal representative emphasized the stark contrast in Bragg’s treatment of countless violent offenders, who are routinely released back into the community with minimal or no bail. However, when faced with an authentic victim, Bragg demonstrated no such leniency.
The account of Alba stands in stark contrast to the testimony delivered by Madeline Brame, mother of military veteran Hason Correa, who tragically lost his life to a gang assault involving four perpetrators on the streets of New York in 2018.
Her husband also sustained severe injuries during the attack.
Bragg’s office imposed such lenient sentences on the four assailants that two have already regained their freedom. Brame expressed her disdain to the committee, stating Bragg “lacks the competence to serve even as a dog-catcher.”
This article appeared in Right Wing Insider and has been published here with permission.
