Lawyers representing thousands of Rikers Island inmates who are being denied medical services asked a judge to hold the city's Department of Correction in contempt of court and fine it a half-million dollars for violating an order to provide better care.
In court on Wednesday, attorneys focused on another number: At least 1,909 instances in December and January when the DOC failed to provide a medical escort to bring an ill person to a medical appointment. The lawyers are seeking a $250 fine for each of those instances: $477,750. The judge asked DOC to find out how many of the people who missed appointments in December and January were ultimately seen by a medical professional, and when.
Legal Aid’s Kayla Simpson told the judge that the DOC had “plainly disobeyed” her order to improve medical care. “And that failure comes at a terrible cost — which is daily and preventable human suffering,” Simpson said. Simpson said given that the DOC has some of the highest officer-detainee ratios of any jail system in the country, there should be no reason why medical escorts can’t be provided. She referenced allegations — like thoseChlarens Orsland, an attorney representing the DOC, said the pandemic has posed an undue strain on the department’s operations. “I don’t think the plaintiffs are really appreciating how battered the department has been over the last two years,” he said.
Orsland said addressing the lack of medical care is “among our highest priorities" and that the department "will do our best to get people to their appointments,” he said. One possible fix lawyers discussed in court would be to allow detainees who pose little security concern to walk to their appointments without an officer escorting them. A Legal Aid lawyer also suggested that the DOC could stop using corrections officers in administrative roles.