Criticizing Bragg, Arizona Refuses to Send Murder Suspect to New York

Prosecutors in Arizona refused to extradite a 26-year-old man accused of killing a woman at a New York City hotel this month because of what they said was the Manhattan district attorney’s lenient treatment of violent criminals.

Rachel Mitchell, the Maricopa County attorney in Arizona, said at a news conference on Wednesday that her team would not work with Alvin L. Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney who is expected to charge the man, Raad Almansoori, in the killing of 38-year-old Denisse Oleas-Arancibia.

After hotel workers on Feb. 8 discovered the body of Ms. Oleas-Arancibia in a rented room at SoHo 54, Mr. Almansoori flew to Arizona, New York police officials said on Wednesday. He was arrested there after stabbing a McDonald’s restaurant employee on Feb. 18. Mr. Almansoori has been in custody in Maricopa County since.

“Having observed the treatment of violent criminals in the New York area by the Manhattan D.A. there, Alvin Bragg,” Ms. Mitchell told reporters. “I think it’s safer to keep him here and keep him in custody, so that he cannot be out doing this to individuals either in our state, county, or anywhere in the United States.”

Police unions and Republican officials in New York City and nationwide have complained that too many dangerous people are being released on bail before trial, and that Mr. Bragg has failed to prosecute them as aggressively as he might. But there was no indication that Mr. Bragg’s office would not seek to keep the suspect behind bars.

On Wednesday, Emily Tuttle, a spokeswoman for Mr. Bragg, called Ms. Mitchell’s remarks an insult.