The Death Toll Soars at Rikers, 3 Deaths in Less Than Two Weeks
Late last night, news broke that another person died while being incarcerated at the George R. Vierno Center on Rikers Island. This is the third death at Rikers in the last two weeks and this is the twelfth person to die in DOC custody this year. At least 45 people have died since Eric Adams became mayor in 2022.
In response to yesterday’s death at Rikers, we put out this statement from our organizing director Melanie Dominguez:
“This is horrible. Three deaths at Rikers in less than two weeks. We send our deepest condolences to the family of the person who died at Rikers last night.
Twelve people have died in DOC custody this year. Since Mayor Adams took office, at least 45 people have died in NYC jails. Under Mayor Adams, the crisis is getting worse. This year’s death toll will likely double that of last year. To make matters worse, the jail population is going up when it should be decreasing. Rikers must be shut down. Until then, as the conditions continue to deteriorate, the federal court is currently selecting a ‘remediation manager’ to take over Rikers. While this is a necessary step, the process is slow, and people are suffering and dying.
Governor Hochul must take action here. In June, the state legislature passed an omnibus corrections oversight bill, which overhauls the State Commission on Correction– a watchdog agency with oversight powers over prisons and local jails, including Rikers. Right now, the only thing holding up this needed reform is Governor Kathy Hochul. She must sign the omnibus prison oversight bill into law now. Lives are at stake and the crisis is only getting worse, this is not time to delay.”
See coverage of the recent death at Rikers and the demand for Hochul to sign the omnibus bill into law in AMNY.
Take Action here to email Gov. Hochul and demand that She Immediately Sign this Bill into Law!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Yonah at Yonah@katalcenter.org. We hope to see you there!
September NY Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call!
Join us for our September NY Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call on Thursday, September 11, at noon! If you want to learn more about which criminal justice bills are still awaiting the Governor’s signature, the upcoming 2026 legislative session, and the latest efforts to reform the criminal legal system in New York, please sign up. As usual, we’ll be joined by organizers, advocates, and community members working on every aspect of justice reform in the state.
Register to join us on Thursday, September 11, from noon to 1 p.m.
If you have any questions about the statewide call or would like to be a presenter, please contact Yonah at Yonah@katalcenter.org .
Weekly Pro-Democracy Phone Zaps
Join us next Wednesday, September 10th, for our weekly Pro-Democracy Phone Zaps! Every Wednesday from 12-12:45pm (EST), we’re gathering on Zoom to call our elected officials.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen Trump intensify his authoritarian tactics. From increasing the disappearances and deportations of our immigrant community members, sending the National Guard into cities to target protesters and people experiencing homelessness, threatening our elections, distorting Congressional maps to maintain power, more. This is a significant threat to our democracy.
However, everyday people across the country are continuing to stand up and fight back. On Wednesday, we’ll keep up the fight by calling our congressional representatives in D.C. to demand they stand up to Trump. If you’ve been looking for a starting point to take action against Trump’s authoritarianism, this is a great place to jump in!
Register here for our Pro-Democracy Phone Zap this Wednesday, September 10th!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ricky at ricky@katalcenter.org. We hope to see you there!
Inspiring Resistance This Week
– On Labor Day, there were over one thousand “Workers Over Billionaires” rallies across the country in defiance of the Trump regime and rejecting the ongoing billionaire takeover.
– In the face of threats to its federal funding, Denver Public Schools has refused to capitulate to the Trump administration’s demand that it implement policies that discriminate against transgender students. “We will fight,” said the superintendent. See details here.
For more examples of resistance, check out Choose Democracy’s Resist List!
Quotes of the Week
“If there is to be any proving of our humanity it must be by revolutionary means.” ― Walter Rodney, The Groundings with My Brothers.”“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground.” ― Frederick Douglass
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