Key Takeaways:
– Alvin Bragg, Manhattan District Attorney, promises to seek justice for Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, opposing attempts to politicize the murder case.
– Raad Almansoori was arrested in Arizona for stabbing two women and allegedly confessed to Oleas-Arancibia’s murder in SoHo.
– Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell plans to block Almansoori’s extradition to New York, raising questions about Bragg’s handling of the case.
– Bragg criticizes Mitchell’s actions, accusing her of politicizing law enforcement and undermining justice.
In a heated exchange, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg vowed on Thursday to pursue justice for Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, a sex worker found dead in a SoHo hotel. Bragg’s statement comes amid a looming spat with Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell over the extradition of the alleged perpetrator.
Bitter Face-Off Over Justice
Oleas-Arancibia, 38, was discovered lifeless on February 8 in an 11th-floor hotel room at SoHo 54. Following the tragic incident, the NYPD arrested Raad Almansoori on the other side of the country in Arizona. Almansoori has been linked to the stabbing of two Arizona women, while he alluded to being the man behind Oleas-Arancibia’s killing, urging the law enforcement to look into the SoHo hotel case.
Tensions heated up as Mitchell, currently up for re-election in Arizona, made an unexpected announcement that she would prevent Almansoori from being extradited to New York for his trial. Mitchell alleged her mistrust for Bragg handling the case, which would potentially delay justice for the deceased sex worker.
Bragg Strikes Back
Addressing Mitchell’s unprecedented decision during a press conference at his lower Manhattan office, Bragg responded strongly against her efforts. The Manhattan DA, with over two decades of experience in law enforcement, stated he had never encountered such behavior, accusing Mitchell of politicizing a typically standard extradition process and trivializing justice.
Bragg argued, “Her reasoning wasn’t for legal necessity or pursuing justice or out of concern for victims. It was nothing more than old-fashioned grandstanding and politics.” He went on to express his disappointment at the interference of politics in law enforcement citing the severity of the involved murder case.
Discrediting False Claims
Mitchell went on record in several TV and radio interviews alleging that Bragg had allowed several asylum seekers suspected of altercations with the NYPD to walk free. Bragg dismissed these claims as baseless, stating that all the migrants involved have been in custody since their indictments.
Highlighting that the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement had presented evidence contradicting Mitchell’s allegations, Bragg stated: “Different names, different dates of birth, different fingerprints. Different people. We have indicted seven individuals in the despicable attack on two law enforcement officers. Currently, all seven are in pretrial detention as we speak. Those are the facts.”
As the controversy unfolds, Bragg remains committed to seeking justice for Oleas-Arancibia and assured he will not allow the case to be used as a political tool. This developing story will continue to be documented as events transpire.