NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Authorities say a 25-year-old inmate who was arrested earlier this month was found dead Tuesday in a Rikers Island prison cell.
Brandon Rodriguez was found unresponsive in his cell during the early morning, according to officials with the New York City Department of Correction. Medical staff responded and pronounced him dead.
The city’s Medical Examiner will determine the official cause of death.
A Staten Island Advance report notes that Rodriguez was arrested earlier this month for allegedly assaulting and strangling a pregnant woman. While he was initially facing a felony charge, it was later downgraded to a misdemeanor.
The outlet reports he was first held on $15,000 cash bail and $5,000 bond – which was not posted – before a judge later reduced the bail to $10,000 cash and $3,000 bond.
His attorney, Sharon Covino, says her office is now investigating the circumstances of Rodriguez’s death, and notes this is an example of the need for bail reform.
“Mr. Rodriguez is being prosecuted on misdemeanor charges and yet he was incarcerated on $15,000 bond over my objection,” Covino told the Staten Island Advance. “It’s important that our government agencies work together because we need to ensure that senseless tragedies like this stop occurring.”
Correction Commissioner Vincent Schiraldi says the department is working closely with all relevant agencies to investigate the death. The DOC is cooperating in the investigations.
Staten Island Advance reports Rodriguez was the third person arrested on Staten Island to die in custody in a matter of months.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams issued a statement calling for an investigation into Rodriguez's death and other inmates.
"Brandon Rodriguez is yet another New Yorker to lose their life on Rikers Island - I pray for peace and comfort for his family. Without a trial, he received a death sentence - a sentence also suffered by Robert Jackson, Jose Mejia Martinez, and too many others in just the last few months. We need a thorough investigation of these incidents, and we need transformational change of the systems that tacitly and overtly permit it," Williams said.
"As we move forward efforts to close Rikers and decarcerate across the city, that work must be paired with a focus on maintaining humane conditions for people who are incarcerated," he added. "It has long been clear that mismanagement, misplaced priorities, and missing resources have created an environment that harms both corrections staff and incarcerated individuals, an environment in which humanity and health of those inside are disregarded, with too often tragic results."
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)