NYC GROUP URGES BODEGA WORKERS TO ARM THEMSELVES

> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO 'METROFOCUS.'

I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.

EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY DROPPED ALL CHARGES AGAINST JOSE ALBA, THE WORKER WHO FATALLY STABBED A MAN WHO WORK HIM BEHIND THE COUNTER WHERE HE WORK.

THE D.A. INITIALLY CHARGED HIM WITH MURDER, WHICH SPARKEDOUT RAGE FROM A COMMUNITY WHO BELIEVED HE WORK IN THE SELF-DEFENSE.

PEOPLE CAME OUT IN SUPPORT, INCLUDING MAYOR ERIC ADAMS.

AFTER A REVIEW, THE OFFICE CONSIDER CONCLUDED A HOMICIDE CASE AGAINST ALBA WOULD NOT BE PROVEN BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT AND MAYOR ADAMS APPROVED THE D.A.'S DECISION.

IT RAISES LARGER QUESTIONS AROUND SELF-DEFENSE AND THE SITUATION FACING BODEGA WORKERS.

JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE JOSE ALBA CASE ARE FERNANDO MATEO AND -- COFOUNDERS OF THE -- WHICH HAS STRONGLY SUPPORTED MR. ALBA THROUGHOUT HIS ORDEAL.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

FERNANDO, WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM.

THANK YOU, RAFAEL.

HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE FIRST QUESTION TO YOU -- BEFORE WE GET INTO THE JOSE ALBA'S CASE BE THE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH BODEGA WORKERS HAVE TO WORK GIVEN THE CRIME, LET'S TALK ABOUT JOSE ALBA HIMSELF.

HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH HIM OR HIS FAMILY SINCE THE D.A. DROPPED THE CHARGES?

DO YOU KNOW HOW HE'S DOING?

AFTER HE LEFT REICHER'S ISLAND, HE LOOKED LIKE A BROKEN MAN, STRICT WITHIN GRIEF AND SADNESS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

JOSE ALBA, WE WERE TRYING AFTER THAT HAPPENED TO REACH OUT WITH THEM, BUT WE NEVER GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO HIM.

WE WENT TO THE STORE, BUT, YOU KNOW -- BECAUSE WE ARE PROTECTING AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE WHEN ANYTHING HAPPEN IN THE STORE, SO WE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE, NO MATTER IF HE IS PART OF OUR MEMBERS OR HE'S NOT TALKING TO US, BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

BECAUSE OUR ORGANIZATION IS WHAT WE DO, PROTECT THE MEMBERS AND PROTECT ALL THE BODEGA OWNERS IN NEW YORK.

IT'S A BIG TASK NOWADAYS.

FERNANDO, YOU HAVE BEEN COMPLIMENTARY OF THE D.A., D.A.

BRAGG FOR HIS DECISION TO DROP ALL CHARGES, BUT DID IT SURPRISE YOU AT THE OUTSET THAT A D.A.

WHO CAMPAIGNED FOR OFFICE ON THE PLATFORM OF DECARS RATION, THAT IS TAKING PEOPLE OUT OF JAIL AND TRYING TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GOING INTO JAIL AND WHO CLEARLY BELIEVES CASH BAIL OR MOST CASH BAILS IS WHAT THEY CALL CRIMINALIZING POVERTY, ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT A D.A. LIKE THAT CHARGED MR. ALBA WHAT MURDER, SENT HIM TO RIKERS AND THEN INITIALLY DEMANDED A $500,000 BAIL FOR HIM?

DID THAT SURPRISE YOU?

DID IT SEEM CONTRADICTORY?

IT DIDN'T SURPRISE ME AT ALL.

THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF NEW YORK HAS A DUTY TO PROTECT EVERY NEW YORKER.

IN THIS CASE, THERE WAS A DEAD MAN, AND UNTIL YOU CAN SORT OUT WHAT HAPPENED, SOMEONE IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE DETAINED.

I BELIEVE THAT D.A. BRAGG BELIEVED HE WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING.

HE MADE A MISTAKE.

HE CORRECTED IT.

AND HE HIT A GRAND SLAM WHEN HE DROPPED THE CHARGES.

WE DEALT WITH HIM, AND HE SEEMED TO BE A VERY WARM, CORDIAL KIND OF GUY, WILLING TO LISTEN, WILLING TO UNDERSTAND THE ACTIONS THAT TOOK PLACE.

AND AS WE SAID TO HIM, THE JUDGE IN THIS CASE AND THE JURY IN THIS CASE ARE THE VIDEO TAPES.

THE VIDEO TAPES ARE REALLY WHAT'S GOING TO DETERMINE YOUR DECISION.

SO I ASKED HIM, WOULD YOU EXONERATE JOSE AL WHAT?

HE SAID, AFTER MY INVESTIGATION, IF IT CALLS FOR IT, YES,LY.

SO WE LEFT THAT MEETING WITH A VERY GOOD SENSE OF SECURITY THAT HE WAS GOING TO DROP THE CHARGES.

DID HE DO HIS JOB IN YES HERK DID.

DID HE DO IT WELL?

MAYBE COULD HAVE DONE IT BETTER.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO SECOND-GUESS HIM.

HE HAS A TOUGH JOB.

HE HIT THE BALL OUT OF THE PARK.

HE SENT THE MESSAGE TO CRIMINALS AND LET THEM KNOW HE'S GOING TO PROTECT VICTIMS WHEN THEY ARE ATTACKED AND IN THIS CASE, JOSE ALBA WAS BASICALLY DEFENDING HIMSELF.

YEAH, SURE.

FROM VERY EARLY ON, THERE WERE A LOT OF ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO IS SUPPORTED MR. ALBA, AND AS I SAID, MAYOR ADAMS WAS ONE OF THEM, AS WAS A GROUP OF BIPARTISAN CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CONSERVATIVE AND MODERATE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PROGRESSIVE ELECTED OFFICIALS, MOST SOERTED WITH CRIMINAL REFORM, WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM?

ELECTED OFFICIALS LIKE CITY KROFRP TROLLER BRAD LANDER, TIFFANY KA BONN, STATE SENATOR BIAGI, AND YEW LIN LEW WHO HAVE BEEN STRONG ADVOCATE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND NO BAIL.

DID THEY SPEAK UP?

DID YOU FIND THEY SPOKE UP ON BEHALF OF MR. ALBA?

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IS IN ESSENCE FOR THOSE THAT BELIEVE THOSE THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO GET OUT OF JOIL SHOULD GET OUT OF JAIL.

WHEN YOU GO OUT TO KILL SOMEONE YOU SHOULDN'T FALL UNDER THAT CATEGORY.

I THINK NOT ONLY NEW YORK CITY, BUT NEW YORK STATE AND THE ENTIRE COUNTRY SAW THAT JOSE ALBA WAS AN INNOCENT MAN.

I DON'T THINK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, PROGRESSIVE OR NOT PROGRESSIVE WOULD SEE IT DIFFERENTLY.

WE'RE ALL HUMAN, WE HAVE SENSE, WE HAVE EYES, EARS.

WE ALL SAW WHAT HAPPENED.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO CONTRADICT THE VIDEO?

THE VIDEO SPOKE FOR ITSELF.

WE THANK MAYOR ERIC ADAMS.

HE CAME OUT EARLY ON AND SUPPORTED HARD WORKING NEW YORKERS.

HE SUPPORTED JOSE ALBA, AND KUDOS TO OUR MAYOR.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO NOW AS SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE IS SUPPORT THE MAYOR, HELP HIM GET RID OF CRIME.

HE'S NOT GOING TO DO IT ALONE.

WE NEEDS ALL OF US INVOLVED, AND THAT'S WHAT THE UNITED BODEGAS OF AMERICA WITH THE LEADERSHIP WITH RAMOS WITH OUR PRESIDENT IS GOING TO ACHIEVE.

LET'S TURN TO THAT.

BLESSEDLY, MR. ALBA'S CHARGES HAVE BEEN DROPPED BECAUSE, AS FERNANDO SAYS, THE EVIDENCE SEEMED THAT'S WHAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN.

BUT THE SITUATION REMAINS DANGEROUS FOR BODEGA OWNERS AND WORKERS.

TELL US WHAT THE SITUATION ACTUALLY IS TODAY FOR THESE BODEGA WORKERS.

HOW DANGEROUS IS IT?

AND HOW MUCH MORE DANGEROUS HAS IT BECOME SINCE CRIME SPIKED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS?

THE CASE WITH JOSE ALBA IS CLOSED, RAPIDLY, BECAUSE HE IS HAPPY HE'S IN THE HOUSE.

THE PROBLEM IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NOW WITH ALL THE BODEGAS, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS A LONG TIME AGO.

IT'S CRAZY THAT THINGS LIKE THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP BECAUSE JOSE ALBA IS OUT OF JAIL AND HE'S -- HE'S NOT A -- HAVE NOT THAT KIND OF PROBLEM.

THE PROBLEM IS, WHO IS IN -- STILL IN THE BUSINESS?

WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT WITH OLD POLITICALS AND, LIKE, FERNANDO MATEO SAY, MAYOR ADAMS AND GOVERNMENT AND EVERYBODY.

WE NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER AND WAIT FOR BETTER SAFETY, FOR BETTER -- TO HAVE THE BODEGAS TO WORK MORE WITHOUT THOSE PROBLEMS.

YEAH, YEAH, SURE, SO FERNANDO -- IF I COULD JUST GO TO FERNANDO, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STEPS THAT YOU NOW INTEND TO TAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SAFETY OF THE WORKING CONDITIONS --

LET'S FACE IT -- EVERY BODEGA OWNER NEEDS TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT IF THIS VIDEO DID NOT EXIST, JOSE ALBA'S LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER.

HE WOULD HAVE DIE IN THE JAIL AN OLD MAN.

EVERY BODEGA NEEDS TO HAVE VERY GOOD HIGH TECH CAMERAS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE EVIDENCE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGHT OR DEFEND THEMSELVES FROM ANY ACCUSATIONS, OKAY?

SO, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT BODEGA OWNERS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT THEY NEED.

WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT EVERY BODEGA OWNER IN NEW YORK CITY HAS THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP SAFE.

LISTEN, BODEGA OWNERS -- BODEGAS ARE OWNED BY FAMILY -- HUSBAND, WIFE, AND CHILDREN.

THEY ARE THE ONE WHO IS RUN THESE BUSINESSES.

IF YOU SEE YOUR SON BEING ASSAULTED, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO GIVE UP YOUR LIFE TO SAVE YOUR SON.

LET'S FACE IT.

WE NEED TO DISTRICT ATTORNEYS TO UNDERSTAND WE GET LOOTED, SHOPLIFTED, ROBBED, ASSAULTED, AND WE GET MURDERED EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR, SO WE NEED THE SUPPORT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.

WHEN A POLICE OFFICER MAKES A ARREST, THEY SHOULD PROSECUTE IF THE MERITS ARE THERE.

HOW DO WE KNOW THE MERITS ARE THERE?

WE CAN SHOW ON CAMERA WHAT THE CRIMINAL -- WHAT CRIME THAT CRIMINAL COMMITTED.

SO JOSE -- RAFAEL, RIGHT NOW OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE WHAT HAPPENED TO JOSE ALBA DOES NOT HAPPEN THE ANY OTHER BODEGA OWNER AGAIN, AND IF IT DOES HAPPEN, THAT WE HAVE THE VIDEO TAPE TO SHOW THAT THAT BODEGA OWNER WASN'T OUT TO HURT ANYONE.

FERNANDO, YOU'RE ALSO CALLING -- WRONG -- YOU'RE ALSO CALLING FOR THE D.A.s TO MAKE USE OF THE RECENT DECISION BY THE SUPREME COURT OF CARRYING WEAPONS TO ALLOW BODEGA OWNERS AND BODEGA WORKERS TO BE ARMED.

IS THAT RIGHT?

YOU BRING UP A GREAT POINT HERE -- D.A. BRAGG EXPLAINED TO US THAT HE HAD PROBABLY 30,000 CASES INVOLVING ILLEGAL GUNS THAT HE IS PROSECUTING.

AND I ASKED HIM, HOW MANY OF THOSE 30,000 CASES ARE FROM A LEGAL GUN OWNER?

OKAY, SOMEONE THAT LEGALLY HAS A CARRY PERMIT, A GUN PERMIT.

AND HE SAID ZERO.

SO THE DANGER ISN'T WITH PEOPLE THAT APPLY FOR A WEAPON AND WHO'S A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN.

THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE HERE IS THAT ALL THE CRIMINALS ARE ARMED AND ALL THE INNOCENT VICTIMS ARE NOT ARMED.

SO WE HAVE AN UNBALANCE IN THIS SITUATION.

IF BODEGA OWNERS CHOOSE TO CARRY A WEAPON, THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO.

IT'S OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.

THE SUPREME COURT HAS WITHHELD IT -- HAS SAID IT'S ILLEGAL FOR NEW YORK TO DO WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

BUT THERE ARE BODEGA OWNERS WHO DON'T WANT A GUN.

IF YOU BELIEVE YOU SHOULD NEED IT, YOU SHOULD GET IT.

MORE THAN THE INDIVIDUAL BODEGA OWNERS, THE AMERICAN MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION THAT PARTNERED WITH YOU, VISITED THE D.A. WITH YOU, ASKED FOR THE CHARGES TO BE DROPPED WITH YOU TO D.A. BRAGG PUBLICLY SPLIT WITH YOU ON THIS.

THEY SAY, NO, NO MORE GUNS.

MORE GUNS IN THE HAND OF WHOEVER, EVEN BODEGA OWNERS, JUST CREATE THE POSSIBILITY FOR MORE VIOLENCE IN BODEGAS AND THE CITIES.

WHERE ARE THEY WRONG?

I THINK THEY'RE WRONG BECAUSE ANYONE THAT'S LAW-ABIDING THAT HAS A BUSINESS TO PROTECT, THAT HAS HIS FAMILY TO PROTECT AND IS SERVING A COMMUNITY WITH VERY HIGH CRIME, SHOOTING RATE, THAT BODEGA OWNER SHOULD BE, IF HE CHOOSES TO, BE ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR A GUN, BE WELL TRAINED TO USE THAT GUN, IF HE HAS TO.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING COWBOYS OUT THERE.

WE'RE NOT THE ONES THAT YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT.

WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE OUT THERE KILLING PEOPLE.

LISTEN, JUNIOR GUZMAN WAS KILL IN THE A BODEGA BECAUSE THAT BODEGA OWNER DID NOT HAVE TO TOOLS TO PROTECT THAT YOUNG BOY THAT WAS KILLED BY A MOB OF CRIMINALS.

HE WAS A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS ATTACKED BY A GROUP, STABBED TO DEATH IN THE BODEGA.

HE WAS STABBED TO DEATH.

IF THAT BODEGA OWNER HAD A GUN PERMIT HE COULD HAVE STOPPED THE DEATH OF JUNIOR GUZMAN SOME THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, COMMON SENSE.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO END IT THERE BECAUSE WE'RE OUT OF TIME, BUT SO MUCH FOR COMING ON TODAY AND SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY EVERY DAY.

THANK YOU, RAFAEL.

THANK YOU.

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