Inmates

City of New York to Pay $28 Million in Settlement for Inmate’s Suicide Mishandling on Rikers Island

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NEW YORK — The City of New York has agreed to pay a settlement of over $28 million in a civil rights lawsuit filed by a woman whose grandson attempted suicide while in custody on Rikers Island. Madeline Feliciano alleged that three correction officers and a captain waited almost eight minutes before helping her grandson, Nicholas Feliciano, who ultimately suffered brain damage as a result. The incident, which occurred in November 2019, was captured on surveillance video and revealed that Nicholas had been left hanging for nearly eight minutes before receiving assistance. The Rikers Island … Read more

Incarcerated Inmates Sue New York Prison System Over Denied Access to Once-in-a-Lifetime Solar Eclipse

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Woodbourne Correctional Facility in upstate New York is facing a lawsuit filed by inmates who claim that the decision to prevent them from witnessing next week’s total solar eclipse violates their religious freedoms. The celestial phenomenon, which has not been visible in New York since 1925 and won’t be seen again in the state until 2079, holds significant religious value for people of various faiths, according to the complaint filed in federal court. The New York corrections officials instituted a lockdown at its facilities, including the Woodbourne Correctional Facility, on April 8, the day of … Read more

York County Inmate’s Death Ruled Not Fault of County; Grand Jury Pushes for Jail Improvements

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YORK COUNTY, Neb. – A grand jury in York County has determined that the county is not at fault for the death of an inmate in their jail. Justin Christensen, a 30-year-old man from Iowa, was found dead in his cell last September. Although the cause of death was not revealed, Christensen had been arrested for felony theft. The grand jury, which convened as required by law, found no evidence of criminal conduct from anyone involved that contributed to his death. In addition to clearing the county of fault, the grand jury also made recommendations … Read more

Florida Death Row Inmates Outlive Sentencing Judges, Casting Doubt on Death Penalty’s Effectiveness

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — The death penalty in Florida may not be as swift or effective as intended, as many inmates on death row outlive the judges who sentenced them. Last year, Florida executed six inmates, but four of them lived longer than the judges who condemned them. One example is Duane Owen, who was sentenced to death in 1986 for the murders of a 14-year-old babysitter and a 38-year-old mother in separate attacks. Owen was 62 when he was executed last June, four years after the death of Palm Beach Judge Richard Burk, who … Read more