New York City Mayor Eric Adams ripped bail reform over the weekend after a man accused of a violent assault last month was released from jail.
Bail reform has divided New York Democrats throughout Adams' tenure as mayor, with progressives supporting criminal justice reform, arguing some individuals who are arrested face unfairly high bail that does not always match the crime. Others, however, argue bail reform has resulted in dangerous criminals being released back onto the streets from the city's prisons.
Adams, a former New York Police Department (NYPD) officer, has become a vocal opponent of bail reform in his efforts to lower crime throughout the city. Over the weekend, Adams took to CNN to blast the policy after a man caught on video violently attacking another man was released from jail after posting bail.
Karim Azizi, 36, paid the $7,500 bail after being arrested last Wednesday for the assault in Manhattan that occurred in early November, the New York Post reported. Azizi is accused of hitting a 47-year-old man facing housing insecurity with a baseball bat in the back of the head after a verbal altercation. After being struck, Azizi then stomped on the victim. According to court records, Azizi was charged with assault, attempted assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
Prosecutors recommended Azizi face a $40,000 bail, saying he would be a flight risk because he fled the scene of the assault. However, a Manhattan judge set his bail at the lower rate of $7,500, according to the newspaper.
Adams agreed with CNN host Michael Smerconish's assessment that Azizi's release is "heartbreaking and wrong" on Saturday.
"Every time we do our job as law enforcement and city administrators, we're seeing this revolving door catch, release, repeat system that's really playing out all across the country," Adams said, questioning when lawmakers will support policies that "protect the innocent people of this city and this country."
"We have to stop passing laws that protect the guilty," Adams added.
Adams Previously Opposed Bail Reform
Adams, first elected in 2021 on a platform emphasizing public safety, has faced pressure to deal with rising crime throughout his tenure. According to NYPD data, nearly every type of crime increased from 2020 to 2021—with the exception of murder, which dropped 12 percent.
The mayor has embraced policies including increased police presence on subways, a crackdown on drugs and home insecurity, and support for barriers on platform tracks in an effort to mitigate crime.
However, Adams has faced backlash from New York progressives, who argue some of his policies are cruel. Most recently, he faced criticism for announcing that some mentally ill individuals would be forcibly hospitalized in an effort to curb crime.
Bail reform critics have seized on other instances of violent criminals being released without bail or by posting bail. In March, Adams spoke out against bail reform after a man accused of smearing feces on a woman sitting on a bench was released without bail.
"This individual should not be out on the streets of New York and his release shows the scope of changes that we need to make in order to keep New Yorkers safe," Adams said at the time.
Newsweek reached out to Adams' office for additional comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
