{"id":1561163,"date":"2022-07-19T12:24:59","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T16:24:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1561163"},"modified":"2022-07-19T12:35:44","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T16:35:44","slug":"manhattan-da-to-finally-drop-murder-charge-against-bodega-worker-who-defended-himself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/manhattan-da-to-finally-drop-murder-charge-against-bodega-worker-who-defended-himself\/","title":{"rendered":"Manhattan DA to Finally Drop Murder Charge Against Bodega Worker Who Defended Himself"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" 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       <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has finally moved to drop the controversial murder charge filed <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/07\/06\/nyc-bodega-worker-jose-alba-charged-in-fatal-stabbing-feared-for-his-life-family-says\/\">against bodega worker Jose Alba<\/a>, his office confirmed Tuesday.  <\/p>\n<p>The DA\u2019s office said it had filed a motion in Manhattan Criminal Court to dismiss the case against the 61-year-old bodega worker after an investigation found it couldn\u2019t prove the \u201cdefendant was not justified in his use of deadly physical force.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Bragg and his office had faced widespread backlash after Alba was swiftly charged with\u00a0fatally stabbing 35-year-old violent ex-con Austin Simon, who had attacked Alba inside the Hamilton Heights Grocery on July 1. <\/p>\n<p>The decision to drop the second-degree murder charge comes weeks after <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/07\/11\/alvin-braggs-persecution-of-jose-alba-looks-ever-more-troublesome\/\">The Post highlighted Alba\u2019s plight<\/a>, which saw the hardworking bodega clerk initially held at Rikers Island on a whopping $250,000 bond.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf it weren\u2019t for the NY Post, Mr. Alba would still be in jail,\u201d said Frank Garcia, chairman of the National Association of Latino State Chambers of Commerce. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-07.jpg\"><\/a><figcaption>Jose Alba was charged with\u00a0fatally stabbing violent ex-con Austin Simon.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Alec Tabak<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-01.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-01.jpg\" alt=\"Surveillance video.\" class=\"wp-image-23111710\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-01.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-01.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-01.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=512 512w\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Austin Simon attacked Jose Alba inside the bodega on July 1. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the motion to drop the case, the embattled DA\u2019s office included <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/07\/10\/video-shows-how-nyc-bodega-worker-jose-alba-may-have-been-stabbed\/\">surveillance images from inside the bodega<\/a> that showed Alba being shoved by the much younger man in the moments before the worker armed himself with a knife.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The footage also showed Alba\u00a0allegedly being stabbed by Simon\u2019s girlfriend while the worker was fending off and\u00a0fatally slashing the ex-con. <\/p>\n<p>The motion noted that Alba could have argued at trial that he was acting in self-defense \u2014 an argument the bodega worker has repeatedly made since his arrest. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne potential defense is that Alba reasonably believed that Simon was about to use<br \/>deadly physical force,\u201d the dismissal memo noted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe law provides that a person may use deadly physical force to defend oneself if the person reasonably believes that another person is using or about to use deadly physical force.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2026 Simon\u2019s conduct in entering the store\u2019s small, private area, throwing Alba against the wall to a place he could not escape, and grabbing him by the collar could inspire deep fear in an older and shorter man as to what might be in store next,\u201d the motion continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis was also in the context of the girlfriend saying five minutes earlier that her boyfriend was going to \u2018come down here right now and f\u2013k you up\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-04.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-04.jpg\" alt=\"Jose Alba.\" class=\"wp-image-23111717\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-04.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-04.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-04.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=512 512w\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Jose Alba inside the bodega on the night of the fatal stabbing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The entire ordeal unfolded after Alba had gotten into an argument with Simon\u2019s girlfriend over a bag of chips, police said at the time. The girlfriend had run home to get Simon after claiming Alba had grabbed the chips from her daughter when her debit card was declined. <\/p>\n<p>The motion suggested that Alba may have assumed he was about to be robbed when Simon stormed into the bodega 10 minutes later \u2014 and that Simon could have actually committed a crime by cornering the worker behind the counter.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is a crime in New York to use physical force to intentionally restrict a person\u2019s movements by moving him from one place to another or by confining him,\u201d the motion said. <\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2026 if Alba reasonably believed that Simon was committing or attempting to commit a burglary of an occupied building, then Alba was permitted to use deadly physical force upon Simon if Alba reasonably believed it to be necessary to prevent or terminate the commission of the burglary.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter investigation, the District Attorney\u2019s Office has concluded that a homicide case against Alba could not be proven at trial beyond a reasonable doubt,\u201d the motion continued. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cConsequently, the People will not be presenting the case to the grand jury, and hereby move to dismiss the Criminal Court complaint.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-13.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"703\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-13.jpg\" alt=\"Alvin Bragg.\" class=\"wp-image-23111635\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-13.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-13.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/da-bragg-jose-alba-bodega-worker-charges-13.jpg?quality=75&#038;strip=all&#038;w=512 512w\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Alvin Bragg\u2019s office said it had filed a motion in Manhattan Criminal Court to dismiss the case.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Craig Ruttle\/AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As outrage over Alba\u2019s case gained momentum in recent weeks, demonstrators had <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/07\/13\/bodega-worker-jose-albas-supporters-rally-at-city-hall-for-da-to-drop-murder-charges\/\">gathered outside City Hall<\/a>, and New York City bodega groups even called on the state to adopt a local version of Florida\u2019s controversial \u201cStand Your Ground\u201d law. <\/p>\n<p>United Bodegas of America spokesman Fernando Mateo hailed Bragg\u2019s decision on Tuesday, telling The Post he had faith the DA would \u201cdo the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe saw the judge and jury was the videotape. He did the right thing, I congratulate Alvin Bragg. He has proved people wrong,\u201d Mateo said. <\/p>\n<p>Francisco Matre, head of the Bodega and Small Business Association, said Bragg had personally called him Tuesday morning to inform him he would drop the charges against Alba.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m really happy about the outcome. He said he conducted an investigation and would drop the charges,\u201d Mata said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has finally moved to drop the controversial murder charge filed against bodega worker Jose Alba, his office confirmed Tuesday. The DA\u2019s office said it<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1574495,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1561163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1561163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1561163"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1561163\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1574495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1561163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1561163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1561163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}