Rikers Island Neglect: NYC Pays Record $28M Settlement

New York City has agreed to pay over $28 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of Nicholas Feliciano, who suffered severe brain damage after attempting to hang himself in a Rikers Island jail cell while correction officers stood by. The settlement, if approved by a judge, would be one of the largest pretrial settlements awarded to a single plaintiff in a civil rights case in New York City. Feliciano, 18 at the time, had a history of psychiatric hospitalizations and suicide attempts. The guards watched as he flailed his arms and became limp, without intervening. Three guards and a captain faced felony charges, with two guards pleading guilty to official misconduct last year. Feliciano now requires round-the-clock care and struggles with short-term memory loss.