Councilmember Sandy Nurse said she was assaulted by a person in custody during a visit to Rikers Island Tuesday morning — and chastised jail staff for leaking details of the incident.
The councilmember, who represents parts of Brooklyn, was visiting the jail to learn more about reports of severe neglect and “deadlocking” – a practice where jail staff reportedly lock mentally-ill inmates in their cells for days or weeks, causing them to lose their ability to function.
She said the assault lasted a few seconds and she was neither "harmed nor restrained." The New York Post was first to report the incident based on sources, saying Nurse was “groped” as she toured the facility.
The councilmember thanked the correction officer who came to her aid, but blasted the Department of Correction for leaking details about the assault, writing in a statement that she was “disgusted – but not surprised” at what she called “a clear attempt to distract from much-needed reforms” at the embattled city jail.
“This breach of oversight comes just one week before an oversight hearing on the 700 allegations of sexual assault and abuse at Rikers Island,” Nurse said. “The fact that DOC staff chose to leak this information underscores how the agency’s culture weaponizes sexual assault against women.”
A Gothamist investigation uncovered the lawsuits, which detail a pervasive pattern of sexual abuse of female detainees on Rikers at the hands of several guards – some of whom had worked at the jail for decades.
The lawsuits were filed after the state Legislature passed the Adult Survivors Act in 2022, and a Gothamist review of city data shows that investigations into the incidents have lagged under Mayor Adams’ administration.
“My personal experience, while unfortunate, should not detract from the systemic neglect and abuse that persists daily in these facilities,” Nurse said.
She could not immediately be reached Wednesday morning.
“The safety of all DOC employees, people in custody, and visitors is a top priority for the department. This disturbing incident is under investigation,” DOC spokesperson Patrick Rocchio said in an emailed statement. “We are grateful to the members of service who quickly and professionally addressed the situation.”
