Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani‘s decision to appoint a controversial figure—rapper Mysonne Linen, 49, who served seven years in state prison for armed robbery—to his mayoral transition’s “criminal legal system” committee has raised eyebrows.
Linen, a Bronx convict-turned-activist, was found guilty of two felony heists in the late 1990s. This selection, as reported by The New York Post, is just one of several questionable picks made by the democratic socialist mayor-elect.
Linen proudly announced the appointment on Instagram last month, declaring, “This is a testament to our decades of work advocating on behalf of black and brown communities and our expertise in gun violence prevention, legislative advocacy and criminal justice reform.” He emphasized the significance of the move, adding, “We are building something different.”
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Linen, a young rapper with an upcoming Def Jam release, was convicted in 1999 for armed robbery. He received a sentence of seven to 14 years for robbing two Bronx cab drivers at gunpoint: Joseph Eziri on June 8, 1997, and Francisco Monsanto on March 31, 1998. Linen was released on parole on July 5, 2006.
Despite facing up to 25 years for armed robbery, Linen maintained his innocence. After his release from state prison, he became a community activist. He volunteered as a violence interrupter and founded Rising Kings, a non-profit that teaches classes to Rikers Island inmates.
He also co-founded the social justice group Until Freedom with anti-Israel activist Linda Sarsour. Critics, however, denounced his appointment to the 20-member “Committee on the Criminal Legal System,” which will advise Mamdani on criminal justice policy.
The president of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association, Benny Boscio, expressed profound dismay, calling it “deeply disturbing” and “disheartening” that convicted felons with a history of breaking the law are being afforded a role in shaping the future of New York’s criminal justice system.
“The men and women who risk their lives every day to enforce the law have been shut out from this process entirely,” he added.
The Post reports that Vincent Schiraldi, the former head of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, was appointed to the same committee as Linen last month. Schiraldi had previously resigned under pressure following allegations of contract mismanagement and poor oversight at the agency.
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Both Linen’s name and another controversial appointee, Lumumba Bandele, on the “Committee on Community Organizing,” were misspelled in the official Nov. 24 announcement from Mamdani’s team.
Bandele, the head of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and a black nationalist, has previously shown support for individuals who have killed police officers, such as Herman Bell and Assata Shakur.
The controversy surrounding Mamdani’s choice of Linen for an appointment has intensified worries as the mayor-elect prepares for next month’s inauguration. Linen had previously drawn criticism for making anti-police and anti-Israel comments during the mayoral campaign while serving as a Queens state lawmaker.
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