NEW YORK -- A recent settlement in a civil rights lawsuit reveals that the City of New York will pay over $28 million to Madeline Feliciano. The lawsuit was filed by Feliciano after her grandson attempted to take his own life while in custody on Rikers Island.
Feliciano claims that three Rikers Island correction officers and a captain took nearly eight minutes to assist her grandson during the incident, which resulted in brain damage. Her grandson, Nicholas, was 18 years old at the time and had been arrested following a physical altercation.
The entire incident was captured on surveillance video, leading to the indictment of the three correction officers and the captain on reckless endangerment and official misconduct charges in 2022.
As part of the settlement filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, the city will compensate Madeline Feliciano with $28.75 million.
"The impact of this settlement is only a small consolation for Nicholas, as it will assist with his ongoing medical needs and therapies. The damage that has been done is irreversible, and Nicholas's life will never be the same. His future has been taken away," expressed Madeline Feliciano in a statement.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Department of Correction regarding the settlement by CBS News New York are currently underway.
Madeline Feliciano and the legal team representing her family are also advocating for the closure of Rikers Island.
Back in 2019, the New York City Council made a decision to shut down the problematic jail complex by 2026 and construct four smaller jails in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx. However, Mayor Eric Adams has opposed this plan, expressing concerns about public safety and questioning the capacity of the borough jails to accommodate the Rikers' inmate population.
