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New York City Pays $2 Million in Juvenile’s Death by Jail Gang

New York City Pays $2 Million in Juvenile’s Death by Jail Gang

 

The City of New York paid $2 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the mother of Christopher Robinson, who was killed by a gang of prisoners recruited by “The Program” at a Riker’s Island jail.

 

Robinson, 18, was jailed in 2008 for violating a probation curfew to work late at a new job. He was fatally beaten when he resisted a gang of youth that guards had recruited to help maintain rigid control over the jail unit; it was known as “The Program.” Prosecutors alleged during proceedings that resulted in the convictions of several guards that “The Program” went beyond the enforcement of jail rules, for the gang robbed their fellow prisoners of their commissary, phone privileges, and they even decided who could use common room chairs.

 

Robinson’s mother, Charnel, said at a June 8, 2012 news conference announcing the settlement that the resolution was thought by her to be an acknowledgement that something went terribly wrong. City attorney Muriel Goode Trufant seemed to echo that sentiment. “This involved a very tragic situation,” he said.

 

Charnel, however, said that neither that concession nor the money would ease her pain. “It just hurts every day, and it doesn’t get any better, and this will not help,” she said.

 

The hard part for her was not just her son’s death, but that prior to the violation he was starting to get his life in order. “When he left this world, I was extremely proud of him,” she said. “He made a mistake. He paid for it, and I expected him to come home.”

 

Those expectations were dashed due to the actions of guards Michael McKie and Khalid Nelson, who pleaded guilty to assault and attempted assault in connection with the case.

 

Source: Associated Press

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