Sep. 6, 2023 By Ethan Marshall Queens 3rd Congressional District candidate and former NYPD detective Michael Sapraicone discussed why he believes Rikers Island should remain open, despite plans for New York City to close the prison in the near future. He believes the conditions within the prison need to be improved, including how the incarcerated…
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Tag: rikers-island
NYC electeds spar over conditions at Rikers Island as federal takeover looms
Aug. 9, 2023 By Aidan Graham
A group of conservative-leaning council members toured Rikers Island on Tuesday, where they touted supposed improvements to the notorious detention complex — standing in direct contrast to a recent report from a federal watchdog that sharply criticized the conditions at the facility.
East Elmhurst man faces up to 50 years to life in prison for allegedly killing his own mother, brother: DA
Aug. 2, 2023 By Bill Parry An East Elmhurst man has been criminally charged in Queens Supreme Court with murder in the cold-blooded killing of his mother and brother last month. Roscoe Danielson, 40, of 104th Street, was arraigned Wednesday on an 18-count indictment charging him with two counts of murder in the second degree,…
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Third Rikers detainee dies this year as Adams admin pushes back on damning federal report
May. 31, 2023 By Ben Brachfeld A 31-year-old man named Joshua Valles died at Elmhurst Hospital Saturday after suffering a medical episode while in custody on Rikers Island, becoming the third detainee in city jails to die this year, amidst pushback by the Adams administration to a damning report by the federal monitor overseeing city…
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Council members intro plan to reduce Rikers population by nearly 3,000
Apr. 11, 2023 By Ethan Stark-Miller
A cadre of City Council members on Tuesday introduced several measures aimed at reducing the Rikers Island jail population from where it currently stands at just below 6,000 to 3,300 in order to close the troubled facility by the mandated 2027 deadline.
Brooklyn Assembly Member to start hunger strike for the second year running to protest Hochul’s proposed bail changes
Apr. 6, 2023 By Ethan Stark-Miller
For the second year running, Assembly Member Latrice Walker (D-Brooklyn) is going on a hunger strike in a bid to stop Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed changes to the state’s bail laws from getting into the state budget, she announced after visiting Rikers Island on Thursday.
City jails boss avoids providing up-to-date timeline on Rikers’ closure during council hearing
Mar. 23, 2023 By Ethan Stark-Miller
New York City Department of Corrections (DOC) Commissioner Louis Molina punted on giving an up-to-date timeline for the closure of Rikers Island and transition to borough-based jails when asked for one by City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams on Thursday.