Layleen Polanco
More than one dozen uniformed staff members at the Rikers Island jail complex will face disciplinary action as fallout mounts from the death of a transgender woman at the New York jail.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that 17 employees will be disciplined for their connection to Layleen Polanco‘s death while in custody a year ago, The New York Daily reports.
READ MORE: Transgender woman’s Rikers Island death was preventable, family says citing new footage
Polanco died in June 2019 after suffering an epileptic seizure while in solitary confinement.
Polanco family lawyer David Shanies stated that the family is grateful for the actions against the Rikers staff, but hopes the mayor implements future reform that will address such incidents.
“If the mayor wants to take meaningful action, he should start by announcing that the City will implement the two dozen reforms urged by the Board of Correction in response to Layleen’s death.”
