Two Detainees Die at Rikers in First Week Under Mamdani

Two detainees at New York City's Rikers Island jail complex died in custody over the past week, marking the first such fatalities under newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani and highlighting ongoing challenges at the troubled facility facing a court-ordered closure deadline.

Barry Cozart, 39, who was held on burglary and larceny charges awaiting trial, was found in need of medical aid at the George R. Vierno Center on Wednesday morning. Correction officers performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead at 11:33 a.m., according to the Department of Correction. Four days later, on Saturday evening, John Price, 49, requested medical attention while detained at the Eric M. Taylor Center on charges related to leading a drug trafficking operation in Queens. He was transported to Elmhurst Hospital around 5:40 p.m. and died there the following morning at 5:37 a.m. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not released causes of death for either man. Investigations into both incidents have begun, involving the Department of Correction, federal monitor, Board of Correction, state agencies, and district attorneys.

Mayor Mamdani announced the deaths on social media, emphasizing transparency and...