New York City will end solitary confinement in its jails following the death of Layleen Polanco in isolation at a Rikers Island facility last year, Mayor de Blasio says.
A person holds up a picture of Layleen Polanco, a transgender person who died at the Rikers Island prison, during a Black Trans Lives Matter rally in Brooklyn, N.Y. on June 14, 2020.New York City will end solitary confinement in its jails following the death of Layleen Xtravaganza Cubilette-Polanco in isolation at a Rikers Island facility last year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday.prisoners, de Blasio said.
“Let’s take the next step,” he said during a briefing. “We have proven that we can keep jails safe with much less use of solitary confinement punitive segregation.” De Blasio also noted that the Rikers Island jail complex was slated to close. The New York City Council approved shuttering the notorious facility last fall.
The death of Cubilette-Polanco, 27, has sparked nationwide calls for criminal justice reform. The Afro-Latinx transgender woman was being held on $501 bail dating back to a 2017 prostitution charge. She died last June in solitary confinement following an epileptic seizure, according to a medical examiner’s report.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Bel Powley Takes on 'The King of Staten Island'“I came out [of the audition] and was like, ‘Oh my God, that was so bad.’ I was almost crying. But then my phone started blowing up, and Pete was texting me in all caps, ‘Oh my fucking God, that was incredible—you crushed it.’” Bel Powley on theKingofSI:
Read more »
De Blasio Vows to End Solitary Confinement in New York City JailsNew York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged Monday to stop using solitary confinement in the city’s jail system, marking a victory for criminal-justice reform advocates who have long argued the practice is inhumane.
Read more »
One woman shot to death, two injured at vigil for shooting victim in Long BeachA gunman fired into a crowd Monday night at a vigil for a man who had been fatally shot in the same area of Long Beach the night before.
Read more »
The Trans People Finding Peace Under LockdownCOVID-19 threatens trans lives, but quarantine relieves many pressures we face.
Read more »
Indoor Dining May Not Return to NYC Next WeekMayor de Blasio and Gov. Cuomo are both reconsidering indoor dining as part of NYC’s third phase of reopening
Read more »