The crime received a great amount of media attention for a number of reasons - one is that Braunstein was a well-educated writer and journalist from an upper-middle-class family. Braunstein also was able to avoid arrest for several weeks while apparently still residing in New York, where his photo graced the front pages of most newspapers and footage of the suspect was played on the evening news almost daily. Finally, the timing also coincided with a historic low for NYC crime rates.