Bradley Ballard
Bradley Ballard, 39, lived with schizophrenia and diabetes and had moved from Houston to New York for work after cooking at a fried chicken restaurant; his mother, Beverly Ann Griffin, described him as a caring young man. He was held alone in a mental observation unit at Rikers Island for about six days in September 2013, and his family says he was left without the medication he needed and ignored as he deteriorated. He was taken to hospital and died the next morning. The city medical examiner ruled his death a homicide, with preliminary findings pointing to sepsis and diabetic ketoacidosis, while a state Commission of Correction review found the care he received was inadequate, and the city agreed in 2016 to pay $5.75 million to settle the family's lawsuit.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, while a state Commission of Correction review found that staff denied him medication and failed to provide adequate care, and his family's lawsuit says staff ignored his deterioration and left him without needed medication.
Reported by: city medical examiner; New York State Commission of Correction (outside investigators); Board of Correction (outside investigators); his mother, Beverly Ann Griffin, and his estate (family or their lawyers); Associated Press (reporters); Correction Department (the agency that held him).
Lawsuit: His family sued the city over his death and the city agreed in 2016 to pay $5.75 million to settle the lawsuit.
Sources (8)
- Rikers Island inmate died after seven days alone in New York City cell
- Mentally ill Rikers Island inmate dies after languishing in jail cell for 7 days
- Deaths on Rikers Island Raise Concerns for Mentally Ill Prisoners
- Family of Rikers Inmate Sues New York City Over His Death (Published 2014)
- New York Officials Want Feds To Investigate The Death Of A Rikers Island Inmate
- Panel calls for civil rights investigation into death of mentally ill Rikers inmate
- Rikers Island
- City to Pay $5.75 Million Over Death of Mentally Ill Inmate at Rikers Island (Published 2016)