Rikers Officer Fired After Latest New York City Jail Death

The New York Times, July 11, 2022: Rikers Officer Fired After Latest New York City Jail Death

“A 31-year-old man died on Sunday in a Rikers Island jail, prompting the immediate firing of a correction officer involved in the incident, city officials said on Monday.

“The man, Elijah Muhammad, had been held at the complex since June on an assault charge, records show. Details of what led to his death — he was the 10th person to die this year after being held in city jail custody — were not immediately available.

“But in a statement, the Correction Department commissioner, Louis A. Molina, said an initial review of the case revealed the need for ‘immediate action against the staff involved,’ including the officer who was fired.

“‘We treat every death with the utmost seriousness and understand that it is our mandate to keep every person entrusted to our care safe,’ Mr. Molina said, adding that the agency has referred the case to the city’s Department of Investigation for a possible criminal review.

“Mr. Molina did not elaborate on the reasons for the correction officer’s dismissal, but a person familiar with the incident said that the officer had not done his job properly, adding that the department was looking into whether the officer failed to intervene when Mr. Muhammad was in the throes of a suspected drug overdose, among other things.”

Additional reading:

Gothamist, July 15, 2022: Rikers Island inmate dies, second this week

New York Magazine, July 15, 2022: City Jails Headed for More Deaths Than Last Year’s Horrific Toll

The New York Times, April 24, 2021: In N.Y.C. Jail System, Guards Often Lie About Excessive Force