Jason Echevarria
Jason Echevarria, a 25-year-old man with bipolar disorder, died in August 2012 while held at Rikers Island in New York City, in a unit for people with mental illness. He swallowed a soap ball of concentrated detergent or disinfectant that had been given out for cleaning, and according to prosecutors and the family's lawyer he vomited, cried for help and asked to see a doctor for hours. A federal jury convicted former captain Terrence Pendergrass of denying him medical care, and the city's medical examiner ruled the death a homicide due to denial of medical care. Pendergrass's lawyer disputes that he intended to deny care, and the city later agreed to pay Echevarria's family $3.8 million to settle their lawsuit. His father, Ramon, has said his son was a human being and that the family lost him.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide due to denial of medical care, while the captain's lawyer disputes that he intended to deny care or caused the death, and the family's lawsuit says staff ignored his pleas for help for hours.
Reported by: New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (medical examiner or coroner); federal prosecutors; federal jury; Ramon Echevarria, his father (family or their lawyers); Robert Kelner, lawyer for the family (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued the city over his death at Rikers Island and the city agreed to pay $3.8 million in November 2015.
Sources (17)
- U.S. Accuses Rikers Officer of Ignoring Dying Plea (Published 2014)
- Rikers prison guard charged in death of mentally ill inmate
- Dying Rikers Island prisoner spat blood on jail cell window to get help after swallowing detergent: inmate
- Deaths on Rikers Island Raise Concerns for Mentally Ill Prisoners
- Fired rookie correction officer who said boss didn’t want to be ‘bothered’ by dying Rikers inmate will not get job back
- Correction officer arrest, trial opening highlight Rikers Island inmate deaths
- Prison guard ignored dying inmate’s cries for 5 hours: prosecutor
- Rikers boss faces prison after guilty verdict in inmate death
- Former Rikers Island captain convicted of civil rights violation in connection with inmate death
- Corrections Officer Found Guilty in Death in a Rikers Island Solitary Cell
- Dad of Rikers inmate who died after eating toxic soap wants prison time for ex-captain
- Ex-Rikers Captain Is Sentenced to 5 Years in Inmate’s Death (Published 2015)
- City to Pay $5.3 Million to End Suits Over 2 Rikers Inmates’ Deaths (Published 2015)
- EXCLUSIVE: City settles for $3.8M in Rikers Island inmate’s soap-swallowing horror
- Rikers Island
- Do Jails Kill People?
- More than 370 people have died in NYC jails since 2001