Velázquez says "City leadership has failed" after deaths in jail and NYPD custody
Nydia M. VelazquezU.S. representative for New York's 7th district, in a post on X
Rep. Nydia Velázquez linked a death at Rikers Island to the deaths of Musa Cetin and Christopher Nieves in NYPD custody, said city leadership has failed, and called for transparency, justice and an end to systemic negligence.
“Another life stolen by our jail system's brutality. Jimmy Avila died at Rikers just as Musa Cetin and Christopher Nieves lost their lives in NYPD custody. City leadership has failed. Accountability cannot wait. We need transparency, justice, and end to systemic negligence now.”
Original post
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Is the NYPD failing people who fall ill in its custody?
At least six people have died in 2026 after medical emergencies in NYPD custody before arraignment, most recently Reginald Newkirk, who was returned to a Brooklyn precinct after a hospital visit and died the next morning. Public defenders and elected officials say the deaths reflect systemic failures in police custody and medical care. NYPD officials say the department investigates every death and that a death does not mean officers did something wrong, and a spokesperson said all but one of this year's detainees were sent to or cleared by medical facilities before they died. The question is whether the NYPD and the city are failing people who fall ill in police custody.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
The congresswoman's own post on X about deaths at Rikers Island and in NYPD custody.
Reporting
About this source
Gothamist report on public defenders' request for an independent review of 2025 deaths in NYPD custody, including the Department of Investigation's response.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Jimmy Avila died at Rikers Island. Christopher Nieves died in August 2025 in a Brooklyn courthouse holding cell after he and his lawyer asked for medical attention, and Musa Cetin was found hanged in a cell after an August arrest.
After the quotation
On September 15, 2025, Gothamist reported that the Legal Aid Society had written to the city's Department of Investigation about deaths in NYPD custody.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether the NYPD and the city are failing people who fall ill in police custody. Velázquez says Christopher Nieves and Musa Cetin "lost their lives in NYPD custody" and that "City leadership has failed." She calls for an end to "systemic negligence". Nieves died after he and his lawyer asked for medical attention. That holds city leadership responsible for deaths in custody, including one that followed requests for care, so we labeled it Condemned. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional, which would fit a call for answers without a conclusion; she states one.
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More from this case
Read the full caseBrooklyn Defender Services urges reforms on deaths in NYPD custody "without delay"
Brooklyn Defender Services
“These incidents underscore the urgent need for reform. Last year, we joined fellow public defenders, advocates, and impacted New Yorkers on the steps of City Hall to put forward a 10-point plan to address the crisis of deaths in or following NYPD custody. We again urge the Mamdani Administration to implement these commonsense reforms without delay.”Read statement
Legal Aid's Amanda Jack says people in withdrawal "should not remain in prolonged police custody"
“Once the NYPD chooses to keep someone in custody, it assumes responsibility for that person's well-being ... People experiencing a substance-use crisis or withdrawal need timely medical care, and they should not remain in prolonged police custody while awaiting arraignment on low-level offenses.”Read statement
Mamdani's spokesperson says the city is "reviewing every stage of the process" after deaths in custody
“The safety of every person in custody is a top priority for the Mamdani administration ... We are reviewing every stage of the process, from arrest through arraignment, to identify any changes needed to protect the health and safety of everyone who enters the system.”Read statement
Cite this record
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- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Velázquez says "City leadership has failed" after deaths in jail and NYPD custody
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/5307-rep-nydia-vel%C3%A1zquez-linked-a-death-at-rikers
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Velázquez says "City leadership has failed" after deaths in jail and NYPD custody". First published: 2026-10-09. Last updated: 2026-10-09. https://disputeindex.com/events/5307-rep-nydia-vel%C3%A1zquez-linked-a-death-at-rikers