New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg upholds the laws he likes and does so in an arbitrary way, said former New York Gov. George Pataki.
"The idea that you would charge someone who was being assaulted with murder is absurd in the first place. But when you look at all the cases where [Bragg] has released violent criminals, people who are committing violent crimes without charging them with any serious offense, [it] is a disgrace," Pataki said Saturday during an appearance on Newsmax’s "Saturday Report."
"All you have to do is look at this bodega owner protecting himself from a vicious attack being charged with murder and yesterday, a criminal violently assaulting Lee Zeldin, the Republican candidate for governor, with a weapon, trying to kill him, and being released the same day.
"This is New York. We don't have law and order. We have arbitrary systems where you can be charged with murder for defending yourself, but you can get out two hours later if you attempt to murder the Republican gubernatorial candidate in New York state.
"It is a disgrace; it's got to end, and it has to start at the top in Albany."
Bragg earlier this week dismissed murder charges against New York bodega worker Jose Alba, who allegedly stabbed a customer in self-defense. Video shows the customer jumped behind the counter and forcefully shoved Alba into a wall and cornered him.
Alba, 61, was originally arrested and charged with second-degree murder. He was sent to Rikers Island on July 2, with a judge setting his bail at $500,000 at the request of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
Zeldin on Thursday was attacked at a campaign event outside Rochester by a man with a pointed weapon who dragged him to the ground before being subdued by other men.
David G. Jakubonis, 43, was identified as the suspect and charged with second-degree attempted assault.
"He should have been charged with attempted murder," Pataki said. "He was trying to kill."
"The system in New York is out of control. We are seeing crime go through the roof. You have to change the law. You have to remove the prosecutors who don't uphold the law, and you have to give the police the respect they need."
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