Alvin Bragg faced a problem.
In August 2022, the Manhattan district attorney received news of a shocking incident. Two individuals had been shot, one of whom was an innocent bystander who sustained a gunshot wound to the head. The incident occurred during an attempted robbery in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan.
In a city grappling with the surge in post-pandemic crime, Bragg, who was elected as a reformist prosecutor, faced a crisis as critics accused him of being lenient on crime.
In an interview in his office on Friday, Bragg emphasized that there is still more work to be done despite the encouraging data showing progress in the right direction. “We aim to return to the levels we had before the pandemic,” he stated.
Sitting in his office, Bragg refrained from discussing his upcoming high-profile prosecution. In just three days, he was scheduled to begin the trial against former President Donald Trump on a 34-count indictment.
The former president, who has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges, has voiced his criticism of Bragg for initiating the case. He accuses the DA of being “lazy on violent crime” and labels him as a “radical liberal New York prosecutor who refuses to prosecute violent criminals.”
‘Things speak for themselves’
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Ever since Bragg took office, he has encountered pushback for his unconventional approach to law enforcement. From his very first day, when he implemented a new policy that restricted prosecution for certain crimes and reduced the reliance on incarceration, critics have been quick to voice their concerns. The backlash against Bragg’s methods has only intensified whenever a high-profile violent crime takes place.
Since 2021, Bragg and his partners at the New York Police Department have witnessed significant progress in their efforts to combat crime. Notably, shootings in Manhattan have decreased by an impressive 38%, while homicides have seen a decline of 21%. These figures demonstrate the effectiveness of their strategies in ensuring public safety and reducing the incidence of violent crimes.
“I believe that actions speak louder than words,” Bragg expressed when discussing his track record. He emphasized, “The timeline for reporting can sometimes overshadow the actual investigation process, resulting in unfortunate gaps in information.”
‘The right thing for the right reason’
Throughout his campaign appearances and on various social media platforms, Trump has consistently highlighted crime in New York as a central focus of his criticisms against Bragg.
“We are facing a grave issue with violent criminals who are taking innocent lives. Drug dealers are rampant, and they seem to evade justice without consequences, allowing them to operate freely,” expressed Trump during a hearing in the criminal case just a month ago. “What’s perplexing is the fact that they target Trump, even when there is no evidence of any wrongdoing.”
Bragg, on Friday, chose not to directly respond to Trump’s criticisms. He cited his office’s policy of not discussing active cases. However, he emphasized that his prosecution of the former president does not affect the other tasks undertaken by his office.
According to Bragg, it would not be suitable to discuss any specific defendant or ongoing case. However, he did highlight the dedication of 1,500 public servants who strive to prioritize justice and act with integrity on a daily basis. Bragg also emphasized the increase in prosecutions for gun-related offenses and hate crimes.
On Monday, Bragg and his team of prosecutors will take on a role of immense significance as they lead what could be considered the most significant trial in American history. Their charge? Accusing the former president of the United States of falsifying business records in an attempt to hide crucial information from the public. Bragg’s position as the first prosecutor to bring criminal charges against a sitting or former U.S. president adds an unprecedented weight to this trial.
In regards to his extensive record of public service, which includes positions at the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York and the New York Attorney General’s office, Bragg emphasizes his responsibility to exercise independent prosecutorial discretion. With over 20 years of experience, he affirms his commitment to fulfilling this role.
Bragg is considered by many of his friends and colleagues as the ideal person to pursue the groundbreaking case against Trump.
“This moment is truly exceptional,” expressed Randall Jackson, a partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, who previously served as a federal prosecutor alongside Bragg. “Alvin is a individual who is profoundly committed to public service, a dedication he has carried throughout his entire career.”
‘Follow the facts’
Just two weeks before his office brought forth 34 felony charges against Trump, Bragg unveiled an indictment connected to the Washington Heights shooting. He employed the same investigative techniques for both white collar crimes and this particular case.
“We were aware that someone was involved in promoting violence, but we lacked the necessary evidence to pursue it as a gun-trafficking case,” Bragg explained. Instead, our investigators observed that this individual seemed to be discussing a different plan on social media – one that involved stealing tax and stimulus checks from the mail.”
Prosecutors obtained a warrant to access the suspect’s Instagram account, where he detailed his plan to steal checks, deposit the funds, and quickly withdraw them to avoid detection. Bragg explained that the prosecutors diligently pursued the evidence and secured a search warrant for the suspect’s apartment, resulting in the discovery of a firearm.
Ballistic tests conducted later confirmed that the weapon was responsible for firing the shots in Washington Heights in August 2022.
The accused quickly faced an indictment, not just for an elaborate plot to pilfer more than $800,000 in checks, but also for the heinous crime of attempted murder.
According to Bragg, one of the challenges he faces is persuading residents of safe neighborhoods in New York that crime rates are indeed decreasing.
According to Bragg, when he visits neighborhoods with a history of high shootings, the residents are aware that the number of shootings has decreased. However, he acknowledges that there are still areas in the borough that have not experienced the same level of progress.
The District Attorney emphasized that it is not only their responsibility to reduce these numbers, but also to ensure that people truly feel the impact of these efforts.