Criminal justice reform is about ensuring people don’t go to jail for nonviolent drug offenses. Or for rape — it depends on which activist you ask, I guess.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is one of the activists concerned about rapists having it too hard, apparently. Bragg gave a sweetheart plea deal to Justin Washington, a man accused of raping a teenager. He was initially charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse, and forcible touching. A rape conviction could have landed Washington in prison for up to 25 years. In August, he instead pleaded down to second-degree coercion, which could have landed him in prison for a maximum sentence of 16 months to four years.
But the deal Bragg gave him carries a sentence of 30 days.
So this man allegedly raped a teenager, and if Bragg had his way, he would be out of jail in time for Halloween.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, the character of this poor persecuted lamb of an alleged rapist has been illuminated by subsequent events. While out on the street awaiting sentencing, Washington went on allegedly to harass sexually or assault four additional women and one man. Despite that, a spokeswoman for Bragg’s office defended the original plea deal, claiming that a 30-day jail sentence would have held Washington “accountable for his conduct.” Bragg’s office will now “determine whether to ask for a lengthier jail sentence” in light of these new offenses.
Well, we should certainly hope so.
Bragg is yet another liberal district attorney who views criminals as victims and victims of crime as irrelevant. He ordered prosecutors not to seek prison time for most cases just days after taking office. He tried to imprison a 61-year-old man for protecting himself from a violent criminal who was threatening his life, but he sought just a 30-day sentence for an alleged rapist who, according to a police officer who spoke to the New York Post, would not even have had to register as a sex offender under the plea deal.
This is what criminal justice reform looks like to the liberal district attorneys that Democrats keep voting into power in big cities. Residents of those cities will continue to see the same disregard for public safety unless they decide to elect leaders who will take crime seriously. Bragg is not one of those leaders.
