New York City bodega worker Jose Alba told the House Judiciary Committee about his harrowing experience being jailed for fighting off an attacker in self-defense and that the incident left him fearful of facing gang retaliation.
Breitbart News reported that 35-year-old Austin Simon came into a New York City bodega on July 1, 2022, and allegedly went behind the counter after his girlfriend could not make a purchase because her benefits card was declined.
The New York Times observed that a confrontation ensued in which Simon allegedly pushed Alba, who responded by fatally stabbing the aggressor.
Bodega worker Jose Alba defends himself against an attacker (Screenshot).
Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg arrested and charged Alba with second-degree murder, but the emergence of surveillance video “[raised] the specter that Mr. Alba was acting in self-defense.”
On July 9, 2022, Breitbart News noted that Alba was freed on bail and on July 19 of that year, explained that charges against Alba were dropped.
Alba spoke to the House Judiciary Committee Monday, recounting how he was jailed in Rikers Island for defending his own life.
RNC Research published video of Alba’s testimony, where he described “[taking] pride in the hard work” he put into the bodega, where he “owned [his] own money to support [himself] and [his] family.”
He then described being attacked after telling a woman “her payment was declined.” Allegedly, the woman’s boyfriend, the above-mentioned Austin Simon, attacked Alba, and the woman allegedly attacked him also.
Alba stabbed Simon in self-defense but was arrested, and the bail was too high for Alba to afford.
He said, “When I came before the judge the prosecutor said I was being charged murder in the second degree. They asked for bail, even though so many people are being let go these days. And I couldn’t afford it.”
Alba noted that he arrived at jail injured from the bodega attack “but did not get the medical treatment [he] should have received.”
Editor’s note: This story has been update to distinguish Alba was a worker at the bodega, not the owner.
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