Fortune Statement on Most Recent DOC Deaths

The Fortune Society mourns the death of yet two more people who had been detained in our city jails, 40-year-old Felix Taveras on July 4th, and 60-year-old Ricky Howell on July 6th. These mark the fourth and fifth deaths of people who had been held in the custody of the NYC Department of Correction this year. They are the 23rd and 24th people to die since the beginning of 2022, a year marked by a 25-year high in the number of such deaths. With respect to Mr. Taveras, who appears to have suffered an overdose, several DOC staff members have already been suspended for multiple violations of protocols, including failure to render aid in a timely fashion. We recognize the prompt action taken by DOC in issuing these suspensions and look forward to the agency’s full cooperation with oversight entities, including the Board of Correction and the federal court-ordered monitor in the Nunez case. Mr. Howell, who suffered from Stage 4 terminal throat cancer, died after months in the Bellevue Hospital Prison Ward instead of being released to a non-carceral medical setting for end of life care. As a city, we must invest in alternative, supportive housing options for people with complex medical needs, including terminal illness, to prevent further such denials of humanity.

We hope that the information forthcoming from DOC about Mr. Taveras’ and Mr. Howell’s deaths signals a reversal of DOC’s recent decision to end public reporting of the deaths of people in its custody. We also urge all New Yorkers to demand transparency about the operations of our city jails and demand humane treatment of everyone in DOC custody. No dying person should be forced to spend their last days in a jail hospital bed, and no person in visible distress should be denied prompt medical attention.