Mayor Adams argued Tuesday that final week’s horrific stabbing spree in Manhattan was the “byproduct” of efforts to slash the inmate inhabitants on Rikers Island.
Ramon Rivera, the homeless man accused of killing three strangers in the course of the Nov. 18 assaults, was launched early from Rikers in mid-October after getting credit score for good habits whereas serving a one-year sentence on housebreaking prices.
In his weekly press convention Tuesday afternoon, Adams stated there’s a throughline between Rivera’s early launch — which got here though he had assaulted a jail guard whereas in custody — and the “constant pressure” the Division of Correction faces to skinny out the Rikers inhabitants earlier than the town should by legislation shutter the infamous jail completely in 2027.
“It’s ironic, some of the same people who are critiquing what we’re doing right now are some of the loudest voices about ‘open Rikers’ to just let everybody out. This is the byproduct of opening Rikers and just letting everybody out,” Adams stated, referring to Rivera’s allegedly unprovoked assaults.
“And we’ve heard it constantly, ‘Why is anybody on Rikers? No one should be on Rikers.’ So let’s be clear on what we constantly have to fight against and say: No, we’re not just letting anybody out. We got to do it correctly.”
Protestors march from Metropolis Corridor Park to Foley Sq. to attend a rally calling for the closing of Rikers Island, Sept. 25, 2024 . (Barry Williams for New York Every day Information)
Rivera’s now held with out bail after being charged with stabbing a building employee to loss of life in Chelsea earlier than killing a fisherman close to the East River and a lady sitting on a park bench close to the United Nations, all inside a number of hours.
Adams’ feedback got here after Rep. Ritchie Torres, a average Democrat representing elements of the Bronx, slammed the mayor and Gov. Hochul on Monday, arguing their administrations share blame for the deaths of Rivera’s alleged victims.
In a letter addressed to Hochul and Adams, Torres took significantly sharp purpose at Adams’ Division of Correction.
“The worst offender is NYC DOC, which made the inexplicable and inexcusable decision to release Ramon Rivera early … The City refuses to hold DOC accountable for the early release of a demonstrably dangerous criminal who went on a stabbing spree. The end result is incompetence that is not only destructive but deadly for New Yorkers,” wrote Torres, who’s publicly contemplating both working for mayor in 2025 in opposition to Adams or for governor in 2026 in opposition to Hochul.
Ramon Rivera, 51, is pictured in police custody leaving the NYPD’s tenth Precinct stationhouse on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (Sam Costanza for the New York Every day Information)
Requested about Torres’ criticism Tuesday, Adams, who’s politically aligned with the congressman, stated he “understands” the lawmaker’s considerations, however that the explanations Rivera received launched are advanced.
Rivera assaulted a jail guard at Bellevue Hospital whereas in custody earlier than his sentencing. A quirk within the legislation holds that the Division of Correction can solely think about whether or not an inmate needs to be given break day for good habits primarily based on actions taken after their sentencing — and Adams stated that’s why Rivera received out early regardless of the Bellevue incident, which grew to become a separate case.
To that finish, Adams stated he has directed his “team to sit down with the Law Department” to find out whether or not the town can legally deny inmates early launch primarily based on actions over the course of their complete time in custody.
Adams additionally reiterated his considerations in regards to the long-term plan to switch Rikers with 4 borough-based jails. He stated the plan needs to be modified to require a kind of jails turns into a psychological well being ward and likewise known as on the state Legislature to enact legal guidelines making it simpler to drive individuals affected by extreme metallic sickness into therapy.
“We have to take the necessary action and stop lying about it,” he stated.
Mayor Eric Adams visits Rikers Island
Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Pictures Workplace
Mayor Adams visits Rikers Island on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022. (Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Pictures Workplace)
Freedom Agenda co-director Darren Mack, whose group has lengthy been vital of whether or not Adams is taking the suitable steps to adjust to the legislation to shut Rikers, stated the mayor wants to consider the problems extra holistically.
“Mayor Adams has spent his entire administration sending hundreds more people to Rikers, especially people with serious mental illness, and it’s been a failure in terms of addressing public safety, and that’s because Rikers doesn’t address the problems anyone is facing. If anything, it worsens them,” Mack stated.
“People coming out of Rikers face years-long waiting lists for housing and treatment. Hopefully the mayor is finally realizing it’s time to do something about that, not just talk about it.”
