Deaths in Custody Continue Despite Bail Reform, Echoing Kalief Browder‘s tragedy

Teh death of Kalief Browder in 2023 infamously sparked sweeping criminal justice reforms to prevent low-level charges from ending in death sentences.

Accused of stealing a backpack but never convicted, the Bronx-born youth entered Rikers Island at 16 and spent three years of pre-trial detention facing hellish conditions, including solitary confinement and jail violence. Browder refused to plead guilty, but his family could not afford his bail. He took his life roughly a year after his release when a judge finally dropped his charges.

Despite rollbacks and Republican attacks,bail reform laws enacted in 2020 still largely prevent the city from detaining people arrested for and accused of low-level and nonviolent crimes on Rikers Island due to their bank account the way Browder was. Yet, New Yorkers continue dying in custody while facing minor charges – now before they see a judge.According to the NYPD, nine people died in police custody this year, which occurs after an arrest and before arraignment when a judge reads suspects their charges.

In August, Christopher nieves, 46, and Musa Cetin, 29, each died in holding cells while awaiting arraignment. Both men faced minor charges. Nieves was accused of shoplifting food from a Brooklyn Whole Foods store and died from a health condition; Cetin was reportedly brought in for missing registration issues with his pedicab after a previous violation.

“The thought of Christopher suffering while waiting to receive medical treatment for hours in a jail cell,before he passed away,breaks my heart,” said Candice Nieves,sister of Christopher nieves in a statement. “No matter the misconceptions about my brother, his life mattered and he didn’t deserve to die! The system failed him! He was my baby brother and I loved him dearly. I wish I could have been there to wrap my arms around him during his last moments, so he could have felt he was loved and cared for. Instead, he died on the jail cell floor, ignored and alone.”

[Image of Public Advocate Jumaane Williams speaking during a rally calling for reform in police custody. Credit: Tandy Lau photo]

The heads of five public defense offices called on Mayor Eric Adams, council Speaker Adrienne Adams, and NYPD Commissioner jessica Tisch to address conditions in police lockups in a letter provided to the Amsterdam News this past week. Their demands follow nine deaths in NYPD custody this year. The letter was signed by Juval Scott, Bronx Defenders executive director; Tina Luongo, Legal Aid Society attorney-in-charge; Piyali Basak, Neighborhood Defender Service managing director; Stan Germán, New York County Defender Services executive director; and lisa Schreibersdorf, Brooklyn Defender Services executive director. It provided a 10-point plan for how the city could reduce fatalities of New Yorkers detained by police after arrests and before arraignments.

“As the city’s public defenders, we are horrified that people arrested are at risk of dying in our city precincts and the central booking spaces in our courthouses,” they wrote. “We voice our collective demand that New York City take concrete steps to address the crisis of deaths taking place in police custody,including when individuals are arrested and awaiting arraignment.”

Advocates Demand Action Over Rikers Island Conditions

advocates and elected officials are intensifying pressure on the city to address deteriorating conditions at Rikers Island jail complex. Concerns center around prolonged detainment, inadequate medical care, and the exacerbation of existing health issues among incarcerated individuals.

“What we can visibly see is people being held for hours on end,” said Basak by phone. “Oftentimes, they have a mental health issue … if you have any underlying mental health or substance abuse or medical issues, it’s naturally going to be exacerbated by those conditions of confined cells and the number of people in the cells.”

On Monday, September 22, advocates and electeds took to City Hall, calling for implementation of the 10-point plan designed to improve safety and conditions within the city’s jail system. The plan, initially proposed earlier this year, includes measures to reduce jail populations, improve access to medical and mental health services, and increase staffing levels.

Key Takeaways

• Prolonged Detainment: Individuals are reportedly being held for extended periods, often without adequate access to necessary care.
• Mental Health Crisis: Existing mental health conditions are worsened by the harsh conditions of confinement.
• Advocacy Efforts: Advocates are pushing for the full implementation of a 10-point plan to address systemic issues.