A man in custody at Rikers Island's Otis Bantum Correctional Center died on Friday after experiencing a medical episode, according to the Department of Correction. Edwin Ramos, 38, was found unwell by a guard around 12:05am in a bathroom and received immediate aid before being taken to a clinic on-site for further treatment.
Ramos' condition then deteriorated, prompting him to be rushed to a nearby hospital where he sadly passed away. The Legal Aid Society, which represented Ramos, stated that he was expected to take a plea deal just hours earlier and had been looking forward to resolving the matter with the court.
The death has sparked calls for greater transparency from authorities. The Legal Aid Society demanded access to details of Ramos' death be disclosed to his family, loved ones, and counsel, stating that counsel learned about it through media reports and finding this approach "disgraceful" and "unacceptable".
Rikers officials have expressed sympathy for the victim's loved ones, while also vowing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death. This incident marks the 13th detainee fatality at Rikers so far this year, exceeding last year's total by more than double.
As the investigation unfolds, Ramos' case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles within the city's correctional system and its impact on those in custody.
Ramos' condition then deteriorated, prompting him to be rushed to a nearby hospital where he sadly passed away. The Legal Aid Society, which represented Ramos, stated that he was expected to take a plea deal just hours earlier and had been looking forward to resolving the matter with the court.
The death has sparked calls for greater transparency from authorities. The Legal Aid Society demanded access to details of Ramos' death be disclosed to his family, loved ones, and counsel, stating that counsel learned about it through media reports and finding this approach "disgraceful" and "unacceptable".
Rikers officials have expressed sympathy for the victim's loved ones, while also vowing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death. This incident marks the 13th detainee fatality at Rikers so far this year, exceeding last year's total by more than double.
As the investigation unfolds, Ramos' case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles within the city's correctional system and its impact on those in custody.
like 13 detentions dying this year already? it's so sad for their families 
how can authorities be so un transparent about these things? shouldn't they have access to info about what happened? 
especially when you're representing ppl in custody like edwin ramos' legal aid society needs to step up and demand more transparency 
rikers island has been getting a lot of bad press lately and it's high time we make some real changes 
the fact that people are dying in custody is just not acceptable 
just saw that another inmate died at Rikers Island 
it's like, what even is going on over there? 13 fatalities this year already? that's crazy! 
let's make sure we learn from this tragedy and do better for everyone involved. 
it's like they're saying we don't value human lives enough... the system's broken and we need real change, not just some empty promises 
at least now we're talking about this stuff openly 
The investigation better be thorough because this kinda thing needs to be looked into ASAP.
. the fact that counsel only found out through media reports is just messed up 
. can't they do better than that? 
. this whole thing is just a reminder of how broken our justice system is 
need some real accountability here, not just empty promises from officials 