So what else is new: A report from an independent watchdog agency found "gross incompetence" to be rampant among Rikers correction officers and medical personnel, a damning assertion that would shock exactly no one.
The report, put forth by the New York State Commission of Correction and acquired by the Times, described the circumstances surrounding the death of Bradley Ballard, a mentally ill inmate who died in solitary in 2013 after being denied access to his required medical and psychiatric care. Though Ballard's death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, it remains unclear whether any of the Rikers employees responsible for overseeing Ballard have been fired or disciplined.
Correction Commissioner Joseph Ponte, who assumed his current position after the Ballard incident, has been cagey about how the jail is handling the case. “We continue to investigate and have adjusted our practices to ensure that a similar tragedy does not happen again,” he said in a statement.
According to the Times, the December report places blame for Ballard's death squarely upon both the city and private health contractor Corizon Inc., whose job it is to administer care to inmates.
Stunningly, the Corizon mental health unit chief was merely transferred "to a smaller jail with fewer responsibilities." A Corizon spokesperson could not comment on the allegations "because of legal reasons."
The report further called for an investigation by the Department of Justice, and said that the details of Ballard's death “shock the conscience.”
A complaint charges that Ballard spent seven days in solitary after allegedly making lewd gestures at a female guard. Despite being diagnosed with both diabetes and schizophrenia, he received barely any medical attention during that time. He was later found dead in his cell, covered in feces and with a rubber band tied tightly around his genitals.
