Rikers Island Inhumane Conditions Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: Former Rikers Island inmates have filed a class action lawsuit against the City of New York.
- Why: Former inmates claim Rikers Island prison officials subjected them to inhumane conditions during their time they were detained at the correctional facility.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in New York federal court.
Rikers Island detainees were forced to endure filthy, inhumane, and violent conditions while awaiting bail, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
“For decades, the City has known that the DOC facilities and the jails at Rikers Island are improperly staffed, are in disrepair, and are dangerous and inhumane,” states the class action lawsuit, which alleges that rising levels of staff absenteeism have led to deteriorating conditions at the correctional facility.
Lead plaintiff Jerelle Dunn, a former Rikers inmate, claims for nearly a week he was placed in a dirty intake cell that had no running toilets with at least 40 other non-mask-wearing inmates, reports the New York Daily News.
Dunn says detainees had to take turns sleeping on the floor and that he had to eat cold, rotting food while awaiting transfer to his own cell.
“During my month of incarceration, I was stripped of my constitutional rights and forced to live in the most inhumane conditions,” Dunn said.
The former Rikers Island inmate claims that, once he was finally out of intake, he was forced to stay in a bug-infested cell with no mattress and no cleaning supplies for a month, reports the New York Daily News.
Dunn says that, when he found blood in his stool, his pleas to get medical attention were ignored for a week.
The plaintiff claims his ability to make bail was also delayed because he wasn’t produced for several court dates by Rikers Island personnel, which delayed his release, reports the New York Daily News.
Rikers Inmates Beaten, Denied Medical Care, Claims Class Action Lawsuit
Dunn and Samuel Semple, another former Rikers Island inmate, want to represent a Class of inmates who were held at the correctional facility on or after April 1.
Semple claims he spent his first eight days at Rikers in a crowded intake cell flooded with overflowing toilet water — adding he was indirectly struck with pepper spray on more than one occasion, reports the New York Daily News.
Semple claims he also missed his court date, prolonging his stay at Rikers, and was at one point attacked by five other detainees who he says beat him with his own cane.
Semple says he finally made bail after being at Rikers for 42 days, during which time he claims he was given no psychiatric care nor his required medication, reports the New York Daily News.
“Rikers should be closed down. It’s no place for a human being. Not even animals should be locked in a cage and ignored,” Semple said.
Rikers Island is far from the first correctional facility to face accusations of inhumane treatment of inmates.
Earlier this year, Hawaiian inmates who filed a class action lawsuit over claims they were not properly protected from COVID-19 reached a settlement agreement with the state.
Class certification was given last month to a group of juvenile inmates in Florida who claim the Florida Department of Justice violated their constitutional rights by placing them in solitary confinement.
Were you forced to stay in dirty and inhumane conditions while detained at Rikers Island? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiffs are represented by Jonathan C. Moore, David B. Rankin, Deema Azizi, Regina Powers, and Liza Batkin of Beldock Levine & Hoffman LLP, Rob Rickner, Masai I. Lord, and Stephanie Panousieris of Rickner PLLC, and Christopher H. Fitzgerald of the Law Office of Christopher H. Fitzgerald.
The Rikers Island Inhumane Conditions Class Action Lawsuit is Dunn, et al. v. The City of New York, Case No. 1:21-cv-09012 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
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14 thoughts onRikers Island Inmates Detained in Filthy, Inhumane Conditions, Says Class Action
yes i was held in intake for a week in multiple accations there was lawyers that came around thats how bad it was at the time i gave them my name and bc# it was a harrable time food was bad we got treated worse than animals and me please i suffered
Is there a class action lawsuit against Idaho State Correctional Center or Idaho State Correctional Institution ? Us family members and inmates need help.Thank you and prayers to Rikers Island Inmates.
I was on riker’s from 2021dec to March 21 I was lock in cell for 14 days I went far as cutting myself to get out I was not I. Solitary confinement it was called quarantine without having no symptoms of Covid I was also held locked in a shower cage for 5hr on Dec 24 21 I was able tow attend law library and I could not go to rec but 2 aweek even though I was not in any trouble with the jail they also had me in population when I was suppose to be on suicide watch
I was on rikers island for 3 and a half years. I endured everything the place had to offer. I’ve been hit with that pepper spray(mk9,mk10) that I’m somewhat immune to it. I was denied going to court for a year straight!
Please add me
My Fiancé has been in Rikers since Dec 2021, they didn’t bring him to court due to covid kept somehow getting into the housing he was in, so they put a warrant on him even Though he was locked up in Rikers, also the stories he tells me on the phone
How there’s been multiple stabbings and killings a day. The Correctional officer left the bubble for 2 hours in AmcK c95 west upper I believe he is in. Just so many issues, it would he easier to tell someone this verbally. Would like my fiancé to be put on this class action lawsuit
I was on riker’s from 2021dec to March 21 I was lock in cell for 14 days I went far as cutting myself to get out I was not I. Solitary confinement it was called quarantine without having no symptoms of Covid I was also held locked in a shower cage for 5hr on Dec 24 21 I was able tow attend law library and I could not go to rec but 2 aweek even though I was not in any trouble with the jail they also had me in population when I was suppose to be on suicide watch
I was on Rikers Island in building AMKC-95 for 1 year during the pandemic and was subject to the most cruel and unusual punishment in modern times.The Medical care on Rikers Island is a huge crisis, you basically need to be on your death bed to be taken seriously. No religious service, at a time when people need their higher power. No cleaning supplies like basic hand soap yes in the middle of a pandemic. No social distancing at all!!! No recreation. Food service is cold at best and always served on filthy trays water containers never cleaned NEVER!!!! No visits from your family. Mail is given out about twice a month with your clothing packages at risk of being stolen by sticky finger C.O.’s. Commissary aka canteen is always out of stock with the most unpalatable selection of “healthy items” that is more harmful than the items they replace. I could go on for days…..
Is this a class action settlement? My son was incarcerated at Rikers and treated inhumanely.
I was detained in rikers Island awaiting an extradition in Pennsylvania. During my time there, I witnessed the most abusive, negligent, inhumane and unsanitary conditions imaginable. Picture cells in intake with chicken bones and scrap food all over the floor. A clogged toilet, when we did get water we had to drink out of rubber gloves. We were in there for over 72 hours not able to sit due to crowding. Literally stepping on one another. I saw an inmate sharpening a 10 inch buck knife on the bathroom floor. I was also assaulted by officers and inmates while I was there. This was all in 90 days. I wonder if it’s too late to be compensated. It caused me severe trauma that will stay with me for life.
I want to report misleading items. I have bought over 44.