Federal judge seizes control of Rikers Island from NYC

[mystery-ak]

Federal judge seizes control of Rikers Island from NYC
Rikers Island is one of the nation’s largest and most famous jails which houses around 7,000 inmates
 By Michael Dorgan Fox News
Published May 14, 2025 8:29am EDT

A federal judge in New York has taken the extraordinary step of seizing control of the city’s troubled Rikers Island jail complex, one of the nation’s largest and most famous jails, which houses around 7,000 inmates.

Judge Laura Taylor Swain, in a 77-page ruling, ordered the notorious jail – and the city’s entire jail system -- be run by an independent officer reporting solely to the court, having found that conditions at the jail remained unconstitutionally dangerous, with persistent failures by NYC Department of Correction (DOC) leadership to implement court-mandated reforms.

"The unsafe and dangerous conditions in the jails… have become normalized despite the fact that they are clearly abnormal and unacceptable," Swain wrote.

The order stems from a 2011 case, Nunez v. City of New York, when a group of incarcerated individuals filed a federal lawsuit alleging a pattern of excessive and unnecessary force by staff in New York City jails. In 2015, the city agreed to a settlement known as the Nunez Consent Judgment, which laid out hundreds of required reforms to reduce violence and improve oversight.

"Nine years have passed since the parties first agreed that the perilous conditions in the Rikers Island jails were unconstitutional; that the level of unconstitutional danger has not improved... is both alarming and unacceptable," Swain also wrote in the order.

In November, she held the DOC and city in civil contempt for violating 18 provisions of court orders meant to reduce violence, abuse, and dysfunction in the jail system.

Swain ordered the jail system be overseen by an independent official — a Nunez Remediation Manager — reporting solely to the court, with powers similar to a receiver but focused specifically on the city’s contempt violations.

The official will report directly to the court and will have full authority to change DOC policies related to the use of force, staffing, discipline, and security.

more
https://www.foxnews.com/us/federal-judge-seizes-control-rikers-island-from-nyc

[Bigun]

Federal judge seizes control of Rikers Island from NYC
Rikers Island is one of the nation’s largest and most famous jails which houses around 7,000 inmates
 By Michael Dorgan Fox News
Published May 14, 2025 8:29am EDT

A federal judge in New York has taken the extraordinary step of seizing control of the city’s troubled Rikers Island jail complex, one of the nation’s largest and most famous jails, which houses around 7,000 inmates.

Judge Laura Taylor Swain, in a 77-page ruling, ordered the notorious jail – and the city’s entire jail system -- be run by an independent officer reporting solely to the court, having found that conditions at the jail remained unconstitutionally dangerous, with persistent failures by NYC Department of Correction (DOC) leadership to implement court-mandated reforms.

"The unsafe and dangerous conditions in the jails… have become normalized despite the fact that they are clearly abnormal and unacceptable," Swain wrote.

The order stems from a 2011 case, Nunez v. City of New York, when a group of incarcerated individuals filed a federal lawsuit alleging a pattern of excessive and unnecessary force by staff in New York City jails. In 2015, the city agreed to a settlement known as the Nunez Consent Judgment, which laid out hundreds of required reforms to reduce violence and improve oversight.

"Nine years have passed since the parties first agreed that the perilous conditions in the Rikers Island jails were unconstitutional; that the level of unconstitutional danger has not improved... is both alarming and unacceptable," Swain also wrote in the order.

In November, she held the DOC and city in civil contempt for violating 18 provisions of court orders meant to reduce violence, abuse, and dysfunction in the jail system.

Swain ordered the jail system be overseen by an independent official — a Nunez Remediation Manager — reporting solely to the court, with powers similar to a receiver but focused specifically on the city’s contempt violations.

The official will report directly to the court and will have full authority to change DOC policies related to the use of force, staffing, discipline, and security.

more
https://www.foxnews.com/us/federal-judge-seizes-control-rikers-island-from-nyc

  By what authority can ANY judge do such a thing?

[MeganC]

By what authority can ANY judge do such a thing?

It took fourteen years to get to this place. The city and the state of New York had an excessive amount of time to resolve these problems and they refused.

It is an imperfect solution but the only other alternative is to shutter the prison altogether.

[Bigun]

It took fourteen years to get to this place. The city and the state of New York had an excessive amount of time to resolve these problems and they refused.

It is an imperfect solution but the only other alternative is to shutter the prison altogether.

Our republic is circling the drain in large measure due to jurists assuming powers nowhere granted them, and no one does a thing about it because they are all members of the same club. The brotherhood of the bar.

[Wingnut]

Our republic is circling the drain in large measure due to jurists assuming powers nowhere granted them, and no one does a thing about it because they are all members of the same club. The brotherhood of the bar.

Forget the "oleoarks".  The real threat to democracy are Lawyers and Judges.

[Bigun]

Forget the "oleoarks".  The real threat to democracy are Lawyers and Judges.

I'm unsure if you meant that as a joke but either way it's 100% true.

[Wingnut]

I'm unsure if you meant that as a joke but either way it's 100% true.

The oleo part was but not the judge/lawyer part.  The are sucking the freedoms out of lives.

[Bigun]

The oleo part was but not the judge/lawyer part.  The are sucking the freedoms out of lives.

 

[MeganC]

Our republic is circling the drain in large measure due to jurists assuming powers nowhere granted them, and no one does a thing about it because they are all members of the same club. The brotherhood of the bar.

In this case the federal district court has lawful jurisdiction.

And I utterly oppose the judicial insurrection with 1800 federal judges competing to run the White House and the Congress.

[Cyber Liberty]

NYC was planning on closing Rikers in 2027 anyway, and sending prisoners to "Community Jails" around the city.  Mrs Liberty did a little research on Rikers Island last week.

[mountaineer]

By what authority can ANY judge do such a thing?

To enforce a court order with which the city has failed to comply over the course of the past 10 years.

[Bigun]

To enforce a court order with which the city has failed to comply over the course of the past 10 years.

OK. If that works for you, what's to prevent this judge from ordering the entire city of NY to be run by an independent officer reporting solely to the court? @mountaineer 

[mountaineer]

How should the order be enforced, then? If this was an individual defendant, and not a city, the court probably would have thrown him in jail for contempt by now.

 The judge already held the city in civil contempt, and it still refused to comply. Meanwhile, the jail continues to be unsafe and dangerous. Of course, the feds haven't done much better operating a jail in New York City, e.g., Metropolitan Correctional Center, where Jeffrey Epstein didn't hang himself.

[Bigun]

How should the order be enforced, then? If this was an individual defendant, and not a city, the court probably would have thrown him in jail for contempt by now.

 The judge already held the city in civil contempt, and it still refused to comply. Meanwhile, the jail continues to be unsafe and dangerous. Of course, the feds haven't done much better operating a jail in New York City, e.g., Metropolitan Correctional Center, where Jeffrey Epstein didn't hang himself.

Repeating what I asked earlier, from where does a court get the power to issue orders? My reading of the Constitution tells me that courts were to issue opinions for the executive and the congress to consider in making laws.

[Smokin Joe]

By what authority can ANY judge do such a thing?

Dunno, maybe something they made up to go along with the rest of the Judicial God Complex going around.*

But this begs the question, Where were these judges when the J6 defendants were being held at length in inhumane conditions awaiting arraignment?

*I'm waiting for them to put a stay on the laws of Gravity and Thermodynamics...

[240B]

Every fireworks show ends with a finale' of superbangs. Then all goes quiet, and the crowds slowly leave.
This is the crescendo, the superbang of judicial tyranny which will eventually play itself out and die away.

The Judges see themselves as 'heroes of the cause' to get Trump. But the practical outcome of all of this is only that judicial limits will be defined and and enforced to make them calm down. The Judges are drawing unwanted attention to themselves which is screaming that they need adult supervision. Obviously, they are not able to control themselves.

[jafo2010]

The problem is that everyone involved in the judicial branch of government are lawyers.  I think we need to have new criteria that limits the role of lawyers in anything to 50%.  That includes judges.  I do not believe it is necessary for every judge to be a law grad.  Abe Lincoln was not a law school grad, yet he practiced law. 

We have become lazy as a nation and abdicated control to a group of people that could not find their way out of a paper bag.

I have worked with and for plenty of lawyers in business, and they are largely incompetent in my humble opinion.

[MeganC]

The problem is that everyone involved in the judicial branch of government are lawyers.  I think we need to have new criteria that limits the role of lawyers in anything to 50%.  That includes judges.  I do not believe it is necessary for every judge to be a law grad.  Abe Lincoln was not a law school grad, yet he practiced law. 

We have become lazy as a nation and abdicated control to a group of people that could not find their way out of a paper bag.

I have worked with and for plenty of lawyers in business, and they are largely incompetent in my humble opinion.

Did you know that the vast majority of judges have to be approved by the American Bar Association? That bit of grift makes sure that the judiciary is in the control of the lawyers.

[roamer_1]

In this case the federal district court has lawful jurisdiction.

Technically, I think the judge should have sent the order to the state governor - That would be the next rung on the jurisdictional ladder. The city borrows its authority from the state and is inspected by the state, and must comply with state regulations... So the next move ought to be the governor's.

If the governor also fails at the task, THEN I believe you would be correct.