by Courtney Gross, October 25, 2022
“It feels so unfair,” Amariliz Torres Tavira said through tears. “Not just for my family, but for everyone else that’s a part of this.”
This is the family of Erick Tavira.
The 28-year-old man died on Rikers Island on Saturday. It’s a suspected suicide and the 17th death of someone in custody or recently released from custody this year.
“We want justice not just for my brother, but for all 16 cases,” Tavira’s sister said.
Tavira was another potential casualty of the chaos on Rikers Island.
“I want to give my condolences to Mr. Tavira’s family, his mother and the rest of his relatives and loved ones,” Department of Correction Commissioner Louis Molina said. “He was in our custody for 494 days and it speaks to the importance of having a temporary detention system where these cases move quickly and swiftly through the courts so people can get closure and get the support that they need for whatever mental health or medical conditions that they have.”
Molina was at City Hall on Tuesday, answering questions about drugs on Rikers before the City Council.
It’s primarily drugs and suicides that are driving the death count on Rikers Island since 2021.
The hearing also follows an exclusive NY1 investigation earlier this month detailing how drugs have come onto Rikers.
The commissioner contends the drugs are coming through the mail, showing the council pictures of fentanyl soaked pieces of paper coming by postman.
They plan to implement a new system to scan mail onto tablets.
But some council members questioned whether the department needed to put more scrutiny on staff, including using airport-like body scanners at entry points.
“I find that some of these numbers are low and they would be much higher if people were all subjected to a similar search, so hopefully something more robust is implemented,” Councilwoman Carlina Rivera said.
“I know you’re focused on visitors and I hope you will similarly focus on DOC staff,” Councilman Lincoln Restlerv said.
Molina responded: “So I agree with you and I have been advocating for infrastructure investments in our department.”
He added he gets the idea in principle, but says the department does not have the space or cash for them now.