Woke New York City prosecutor Alvin Bragg defended his office’s lenient decision for going easy on a 16 year-old brutally attacking a police officer, after the cop confronted the minor over an unpaid subway fee.
Bragg’s office recommended the teen to be released without bail and face family court instead, despite being arrested previously for two additional felonies in under four months.
Once a case is moved to family court, it is handled by a separate city department, and the Manhattan DA no longer has any jurisdiction over the matter.
"Our system must respond to children as children…Violence against our police officers is unacceptable and given his age at the time of arrest, we consented to send the second case to family court as soon as possible, where he would receive the age-appropriate interventions and supports he needs while being held accountable,” Bragg spokeswoman Emily Tuttle said in a statement.
The 16 year-old was charged with second-degree assault after he is seen in a 54-second video clip throwing more than 20 punches at an NYPD officer while also slamming him into a metal gate and putting the cop in a chokehold at a subway station.
Under New York’s controversial criminal justice reforms, cases of 16 and 17 year-olds charged with misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies are automatically sent to family court, however the DA can decide to keep their case in criminal court if the crime was heavenly violent.
Mayor Eric Adams (D-NY) was horrified at the DA’s lax repercussions for the boy, and said this is why New York City has become a “laughingstock” throughout the country.
Adams called on state lawmakers to repeal the “Raise the Age” law.
“We're not talking about someone that steals an apple…We’re talking about someone that has repeatedly used violence in our city,” Adams said.