Alvin Bragg’s vow to prosecute a few criminals still isn’t remotely enough

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg has clarified his steering to prosecutors.
Steven Hirsch

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg on Thursday walked again some of his orders for prosecutors to let harmful criminals stroll — whereas nonetheless sticking to his general perception that it’s incorrect to ship perps to jail or jail.

He claimed the general public furor was the results of mass “misunderstanding” of his “legalistic” memo that merely aimed to provide Manhattan prosecutors “a framework for tips on how to method circumstances in one of the best curiosity of security and justice.” Proper.

At the least he’s made a begin with some basic concessions: He says his workplace will prosecute each theft with a gun as a felony — and “it will likely be handled severely.”

Extra: “Violence towards law enforcement officials is not going to be tolerated,” mentioned Bragg in a nod to NYPD considerations. “In case you push or hit an officer or try to take action or try and hurt an officer in one other method, you may be prosecuted, held accountable.” Nonetheless lacking: the phrase “prosecuted to the complete extent of the regulation.”

Then, too, he’s standing by his refusal to ever search a sentence of life with out parole, irrespective of how heinous the crime. And he’ll nonetheless search pretrial detention (jail, in different phrases) solely in “very critical circumstances” — which means he’ll be even looser than the already-outrageous no-bail regulation.

Bragg’s major precedence, briefly, remains to be not placing most perps behind bars. He’s not attempting to guard the general public, however solely his personal job.