New York City Set to Pay a Record $28 Million to Settle Rikers Island Suit

New York City has reached a settlement of more than $28 million in a lawsuit filed by the family of a man who suffered severe brain damage after attempting suicide in a Rikers Island jail cell. The man, who had a history of psychiatric hospitalizations and suicide attempts, was in Rikers on a parole violation. Guards watched as he tried to hang himself, and despite his distress, they did not intervene. The settlement, if approved, would be one of the largest ever in a civil rights case in New York City. The guards involved in the incident have faced legal consequences, with two pleading guilty to official misconduct. The man has required round-the-clock care for the past four years and experiences memory loss and physical limitations.