This archive report was first published on 30 October 2021.
On October 30, 2021, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple disclosed that the court issued a criminal summons for Andrew Cuomo's arraignment within minutes, a process that usually takes some time.
This unusual turn of events caught the sheriff's office off guard, as Apple explained, 'This just came back at a relatively accelerated rate and kind of caught us by surprise as well.'
Apple's decision to proceed with the charge without input from the Albany District Attorney's office has raised eyebrows among lawyers and academics, who consider it a deviation from the norm.
Typically, in long-term investigations, law enforcement authorities work closely with local prosecutors, given that the prosecutors handle the case once the legal proceeding is initiated.
Now, District Attorney David Soares will have to decide whether to proceed with the case, which is expected to be challenging to prove.
Soares's office has maintained a cautious stance, with a spokeswoman stating that the office recognizes the case's public interest but will not confirm any plans to prosecute Cuomo.
