Samueal Eaddy
Prison History - Riker's Island
Riker's Island is located in New York. New York has owned the island, Riker Island, since the 1800s, but it was not made into a jail until 1935. It was made to replace Blackwell's island (now Roosevelt Island) jail. Today there are 10 jails on Riker's island. The jails house all kinds of inmates including the mentally ill.
People sentenced to a year or less are often sent to this jail, but people sentenced over a year are sent to a state prison. Riker's island has had many cases where an inmate filed a lawsuit on them, and is very high in crime rate inside the prison.
Samueal Eaddy
This inmate, Samueal Eaddy, was legally blind and was and was required to be transported with a wheelchair. On September 12, 2013, the officers responsible for transporting Eaddy somewhere failed to secure his wheelchair while going down a ramp and he flew out of it, shattered his ankles, and suffered serious injuries from the neck and spine. He died from the injuries 3 months later. His lawyer, Harold Baker, filed $10 million wrongful debt suit. He said the officers and doctors neglected him. Eaddy had complained of numbness, pain, and partially paralysis for weeks but the officers ignored it and said he was faking it. When he was taken to get an MRI finally they found two herniated discs. He was taken back to the jail, but two months later complained of chest pains and died later that day.
Case Points
- He was ignored when complained
- He flew out of the wheelchair because the officers failed to secure him
- He was not treated properly or soon enough from his injuries
- It was said it was a "natural death"
- Jail was sued for neglect
Court's Ruling
there was no information on it
Works Cited
"Rikers Inmate Killed by Officers' Negligence, Lawsuit Says." NY Daily News. Web. 02 Feb. 2016.
"History of DOC - Department of Correction." History of DOC - Department of Correction. Web. 02 Feb. 2016.