The Albany County District Attorney has decided not to prosecute the disgraced former governor of New York. The District Attorney’s office in Albany announced Tuesday that Andrew Cuomo was not being prosecuted for sexual misconduct. Cuomo was due to be arraigned Friday.
District Attorney David Soares stated that while many may have different opinions regarding the allegations against the former Governor of New York, the Albany County DA’s Office has the burden to prove the elements beyond a reasonable doubt. “While we found the complainant in the case cooperative and credible after reviewing all of the evidence, we have determined that we are unable to meet our burden at the trial. We have not filed charges against the Albany County Sheriff and we have informed the Court.
He continued, “I, along with most New Yorkers remain deeply troubled about allegations like those at issue here.” “Such conduct is not appropriate in government or at work.” Even though criminal prosecution is not always possible in these cases, I urge victims of workplace harassment or abuse to keep coming forward so that important discussions can continue.
Cuomo was arrested for misdemeanor sexual crime in October for alleged forcible touch. This happened two months after Cuomo resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment made against him by 11 female employees.
Marianna Wang, the attorney for Alyssa Mcgrath and Virginia Limmiatis accused of Cuomo, released a statement stating that her clients were not surprised by the DA’s motion to dismiss the charges.
Wang stated, “My clients are not disappointed but they are not surprised.” Wang said that although my clients are disappointed, they don’t feel surprised. “Unfortunately, the penal laws and system we have often fail to properly punish the actions of abusive men at power. Cuomo’s conduct, however, was illegal and deeply damaging to the women who were exposed to it as the Assembly and Attorney General found in their respective reports.
Wang said that “My clients are grateful for these investigations, and above all, to the other women who were brave enough to come forward,” “Cuomo, and men like them should not be in power.”
Rita Glavin, Cuomo’s lawyer, did not respond to our request for comment.
This news comes just a day after the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office closed its investigation into Cuomo’s handling of COVID-19 death in nursing homes without charging him.
“I was contacted by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office’s Elder Care Unit head who informed me that they had closed their investigation into the Executive Chamber and nursing home,” Elkan Abramowitz (an ex-federal prosecutor who was hired to represent Cuomo) said Monday. “I was informed that there was no evidence suggesting that any laws had been broken after a thorough investigation, as we’ve said all along.”