A New York City bodega worker who was wrongfully accused of murder after defending himself during an attack is suing George Soros-funded District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), according to Breitbart News.
The initial incident happened on July 1, 2022, when Jose Alba, who is in his 60s, was targeted by Austin Simon and his girlfriend, Tina Lee. Video footage shows the altercation that erupted as Alba sat behind the store’s counter when Simon fought with him. Alba defended himself by grabbing a knife and stabbing Simon, who died as a result.
Alba filed a lawsuit in which he alleged he was “wrongfully prosecuted because of the Manhattan district attorney’s ‘racial equity’ policies.” The document names Bragg, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Detective William Garcia, and other officers involved as defendants:
Despite the fact that Simon and Lee were the initial aggressors, it was Plaintiff who was arrested, incarcerated, and wrongfully prosecuted. 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.
Alba is seeking justice as well as compensatory and punitive damages against the city, per his attorney.
Bragg arrested and charged Alba with second-degree murder, originally setting his bail at $250,000. In April, Alba told the House Judiciary Committee, “When I came before the judge the prosecutor said I was being charged [for] murder in the second degree. They asked for bail, even though so many people are being let go these days. And I couldn’t afford it.”
Video footage later showed that Alba was acting in self-defense. In late July 2022, Bragg dropped the charges against him.