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- Arizona is refusing to extradite a suspect wanted in a New York City murder case.
- Maricopa County prosecutors suggested Manhattan state prosecutor Alvin Bragg was being too soft on violent criminals.
- But Phoenix’s murder rate is actually higher than New York’s, according to police data.
Rachel Mitchell, Arizona’s Maricopa County prosecutor, cited concerns about New York state’s lax treatment of criminals to justify not extraditing murder suspects to the state, but murders in each state’s largest city rate complicates that message.
A 26-year-old man, Raad Almansoori, was arrested this week in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is facing two stabbing charges in the state.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenney said Tuesday that after his arrest, he told Arizona State Police to “Google the SoHo 54 Hotel.”
He is currently wanted for the murder of Denise Oleas Arancivia, a 38-year-old woman whose body was found at the Soho 54 Hotel in Manhattan on February 8th.
Mitchell told reporters Wednesday that his office will keep al-Mansouri in custody in Arizona and will not consent to extradition.
“Alvin Bragg observed the Manhattan DA’s treatment of violent criminals in the New York area,” Mitchell said. “I think it’s safer to keep him here and lock him up so he can’t do something like this to any individual in our state, county or anywhere in the United States.”
Mitchell’s comments about Bragg echo other criticisms he has faced since being elected president in 2021.
Bragg, who has advocated for criminal justice reform, told prosecutors in his office that they should seek prison terms only for the most serious crimes, such as murder, sexual assault and serious economic crimes. He also supports bail reform, saying, “We want to reserve pretrial detention for very serious cases.”
He has been accused by critics of letting violent suspects go free. In January, two New York City police officers were attacked in Times Square by a group that included several immigrants. Mr. Bragg has released some suspects without setting bail, citing a careful process and a desire to ensure he has the right people. The move also put him at odds with Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and NBC New York reported, citing unnamed sources, that some of the suspects are believed to have fled the state.
However, Bragg’s office pointed out in its response to Mitchell that Phoenix actually has a higher murder rate than New York.
Phoenix, Maricopa County’s largest city, had 198 homicides in 2023, with a population of about 1.6 million, according to police department data. New York City, a city of 8.3 million people, had 391 murders that year, according to police data.
“It is deeply concerning that Prosecutor Mitchell is playing politics with this murder investigation,” a spokesman for Mr Bragg said. statementAdditionally, “New York City’s murder rate is less than half that of Phoenix, Arizona. This is thanks to the hard work of the NYPD and all of our law enforcement partners. It’s a slap in the face for him,” he added. It is our refusal to demand justice and full accountability for the deaths of New Yorkers. ”
Still, whether Mr. Mitchell’s concerns about extraditing the suspect to New York are justified or not, they are likely to resonate with Mr. Bragg’s critics.
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