The Legal Aid Society and public defenders across the city are calling out Mayor Bill de Blasio’s attack on a recent report in the New York Post which connately debunks the Mayor’s claim that the coronavirus-related court shutdown is most responsible for this summer’s surge in shootings.

The article – which found that firearms cases are going through the criminal justice system at the same rate as last year, thus disputing his claim — was based on data actually provided by the NYPD.

Legal Aid issued a statement blasting Mayor de Blasio for not providing any evidence linking the city’s rising crime to the change in court process.

“We already knew that these claims were an unfounded fear-mongering campaign designed to pressure the public into rolling back critical criminal justice reforms. Now the City’s own data proves it,” said Corey Stoughton, Attorney-in-Charge of the Special Litigation Unit With the Criminal Defense Practice at The Legal Aid Society.