Man imprisoned by Alvin Bragg for killing Black man in self-defense sues DA for racial discrimination

Alvin Bragg's far-left and racial policies may cost the Manhattan district attorney big time. Jose Alba, a former bodega worker in New York, filed a racial discrimination complaint against Bragg after he charged him with second-degree murder for killing a Black man who went behind the counter, yelled at him and pushed him for not allowing his girlfriend to steal a bag of chips. Alba spent several days in prison. After major pressure from the public, Mayor Eric Adams, and even Police Commissioner Bill Bratton, the prosecutor's office withdrew the charges, admitting that there was not enough evidence to support the accusation.

Alba claims that Bragg's "racial equity" has the "opposite effect"

In the lawsuit, Alba claims that "While in theory, Bragg’s ‘racial equity’ policies are a well-intentioned attempt by him to implement even-handed justice, the means and methods employed by Bragg have instead had an opposite effect and resulted in discrimination against certain defendants based on race." The brief also includes NYPD Detective William Garcia, and the officers and other detectives who were involved in his arrest.

Alba Complaint Filed by Israel Duro on Scribd

All of this over a bag of chips

Alba fatally stabbed ex-convict Austin Simon in a fight on July 1, 2022 at Harlem's Blue Moon Winery, where Alba worked. Simon scolded the worker for not allowing his girlfriend to take a bag of chips that she couldn't pay for. The man went behind the counter to confront Alba. He yelled at him and pushed him, which started a fight that ended with the employee fatally stabbing the 35-year-old young man. Alba called the police who came and arrested him.

Bragg, known for his soft-on-crime policies, did not believe that Alba was acting in self-defense and filed charges for second-degree murder, setting Alba's bail at $500,000, which the judge later reduced to $250,000. Unable to make bail, Alba was sent to Rikers Island prison, where he spent several days until the bail was lowered to $50,000, which he paid in order to be released.

Bragg was criticized by public figures and politicians such as Eric Adams

The case sparked controversy and New Yorkers clearly stood with Alba. The mayor of New York said, "My heart goes out for this hard-working, honest New Yorker that was doing his job in his place of business, where a person came in and went behind the counter and attacked him." However, Adams did not want to get into it with Bragg about his decision.

Bragg eventually dropped the charges on July 19, due to pressure from the public. The prosecutor's office was forced to acknowledge that it lacked sufficient evidence to prove that the worker "was not justified in his use of deadly physical force."