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'Easy' doesn't do it

Posted

To the editor:

The popular crime-fiction novelist Walter Mosley writes about his black private detective, Easy Rawlins, who survives a variety of dangerous adventures in Los Angeles in the late 1940s. “Easy” is a good name for Rawlins, and it fits his cool, confident attitude when confronting violent criminals and racist Los Angeles cops.

I recommend “Easy” as a nickname for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, but not for the qualities of Mosley’s hero, but because Bragg is easy on criminals. From Bragg's first public memo, only two days after he took office, he instructed his assistant district attorneys to stop charging a variety of low level crimes, and avoid seeking jail time for certain robberies, assaults and gun possession cases in which no other crimes were committed. 

What nonsense is this? So he needs an additional crime to charge robbery, assault and gun possession? Yes, according to “Easy” Bragg, prison sentences should be reserved only for the most serious crimes, including murder and sexual offenses.

Did he really say prison was for sexual offenses? Yes, but he didn’t even follow that in the recent case of Justin Washington who was initially charged with the rape of a teenager, which could have resulted in up to 25 years in prison after conviction. 

“Easy” Bragg let Washington plead guilty to coercion (for sex), with the expectation that he would be sentenced to a 30-day prison sentence and five years probation. Bragg said he offered the plea deal to spare the teenage victim from having to testify, and — get this — to hold Washington accountable for his conduct! How ridiculous is that? Out on bail, Justin Washington went on a violent crime spree, charged with sexual assaults and robberies. 

What about “Easy” Bragg’s statement that his pursuit of Donald Trump and the Trump organization is active and ongoing?  No one believes Bragg has the courage to prosecute Trump.

Michael J. Gorman

[Editor's note: Following Washington’s recent arrests, Bragg’s office said prosecutors are reevaluating the plea deal.]

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