RIKERS ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11) — Another death on Rikers Island on Sunday has
sparked outrage among prison reform advocates.
The New York City Department of Corrections said that an officer found 32-year-old
Aramis Furse inside his cell at around 2 a.m., appearing unwell. That’s when the
department said medical staff and EMS arrived to provide aid.
A few years ago, the city passed a law to close the jail by 2027, which is something
Mayor Eric Adams has said will not happen. Yonah Zeitz of Katal Center for Equity,
Health, and Justice has emphasized the urgent need for jail oversight.
“The jail population has risen over the last four years and the Adams administration
outright abandoned the city’s plan to close Rikers. So, this makes it even more
important to have a functioning state agency that is responsible for ensuring the safety
and well-being of incarcerated people until Rikers gets shut down,” Zeits said.
The DOC said multiple agencies were notified of Furse’s death, including the
Department of Investigation.
Meanwhile, prison reform advocates are urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign a jail
oversight bill into law, which would overhaul the State Commission of Correction — the
government’s main prison watchdog.
The New York City Council is expected to conduct an oversight visit to Rikers Island this
week.