John MacKenzie
John MacKenzie, 70, was a practicing Buddhist who taught and mentored people held with him, earned arts and business degrees, and started a victim impact program; his friend Mark Shervington remembers him as a stand-up, righteous man whose good nature helped younger people stay focused. He died on August 4, 2016, at Fishkill Correctional Facility in Beacon, New York, where state police said his death appeared consistent with suicide, pending autopsy and toxicology results. His daughter Danielle said hopelessness killed him after he was denied parole for the tenth and final time, and advocates said the Elder Parole and Fair and Timely Parole bills might have changed the outcome. In a letter written days before his death, he described sleep deprivation from bed checks and psychological abuse; a union spokesman called these claims baseless, and the state corrections department said the death is under investigation. His daughter Denise said he seemed fine the night before and did not appear depressed.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide. State police said his death appeared consistent with suicide, and his daughter says hopelessness after repeated parole denials killed him.
Reported by: state police; his daughter, Danielle (family or their lawyers).
Sources (5)
- Convicted Long Island cop killer found dead at Fishkill prison in upstate New York
- Cop killer's death at Fishkill Correctional an apparent suicide, police say
- Spokesman: Reported Fishkill Correctional suicide note 'baseless'
- Families of Fishkill Correctional Facility prisoners: COVID deaths unacceptable | Opinion
- Activists hold vigil for man who died in prison after being denied parole