By NYCLU
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
NEW YORK CITY – Following a lawsuit by The Legal Aid Society, a federal judge overseeing New York City’s jails found Wednesday the city in contempt for failing to address the pattern of violence and excessive force at Rikers and acknowledged the need for a federal receivership. In response, the New York Civil Liberties Union released the following statement attributable to Executive Director Donna Lieberman:
“Rikers Island is dangerous, inhumane, and an unconstitutional nightmare. Today’s historic decision shows by clear and convincing evidence the Department of Correction’s systemic failure to protect the lives of those in its custody, the vast majority of whom are Black and Brown New Yorkers.
“Even after nine years under the eye of the federal monitor, we continue to see unacceptable levels of violence, dysfunction, and impunity.
“The Department of Correction’s culture of abuse and lawlessness, which has only gotten worse under Mayor Adams, must end. This starts with a federal receivership, leading to the ultimate closure of the jails, as required by the law.”
