After Spate of Shootings, Manhattan D.A. Takes Tougher Stance on Guns
The New York Times
Alvin Bragg campaigned on lenient policies aimed at making the justice system fairer. But a string of violent episodes early in his tenure is testing his resolve.
When Alvin Bragg was a candidate for Manhattan district attorney, he spoke often about gun possession cases that did not merit harsh prosecution or imprisonment, saying that not every person charged with such a crime was linked to violence.
But on Wednesday, facing a backlash over the lenient policies he put in place upon taking office earlier this month and following a string of high-profile shootings, Mr. Bragg announced the appointment of a new prosecutor dedicated to preventing gun violence — and acknowledged that his emphasis, if not his approach, had changed.
Mr. Bragg said that he had been overly focused during the campaign on what he called “exceptional” cases in which gun possession should not be prosecuted. Since taking office, he said, he realized he needed to be more clear about when traditional prosecution was called for.
