Former bodega clerk Jose Alba, who was charged with murder after fatally stabbing an attacker in his store last year, has filed a lawsuit against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the New York City Police Department, alleging racial discrimination. Alba claims that Bragg's pursuit of "racial equity" in the criminal justice system resulted in him being unfairly targeted and charged with second-degree murder. The incident occurred on July 1, 2022, when Alba, a 61-year-old Dominican immigrant, stabbed Austin Simon, a 35-year-old black man, multiple times during a fight at the Blue Moon bodega in Harlem. Video footage showed that the altercation began after Alba got into an argument with Simon's girlfriend over payment for a bag of chips. Simon approached Alba from behind the counter and shoved him, leading to a physical altercation that ended in Simon's death and Alba's arrest. Despite claiming self-defense, Bragg charged Alba with second-degree murder and requested bail be set at $500,000, which was later reduced to $250,000 by a judge. Unable to afford the bail, Alba was sent to Rikers Island, where he alleges he endured "inhumane and unconstitutional conditions." The decision to charge Alba received widespread backlash, with many arguing that he was simply protecting himself and his store from a robbery. Eventually, Bragg dropped the charges on July 19, 2022, citing a lack of evidence to prove that Alba was not justified in his use of force. Alba's lawyers had announced plans to sue in February but delayed filing the case in an attempt to negotiate a settlement, which was unsuccessful. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, with the amount to be determined by a jury. Alba's attorney, Richard Cardinale, accuses Bragg of treating people differently and argues that his pursuit of racial equity has had adverse effects. Representatives for the Manhattan DA's office declined to comment, while the NYPD and Department of Correction directed requests for comment to the city Law Department, which stated that it would review the case and respond accordingly. The case has gained national attention and has been criticized as an example of Bragg's soft-on-crime approach as Manhattan's top prosecutor.