City councilman visited Rikers Island jail and was molested by inmate_2
On October 22, City Council Member Sandy Nurse visited Rikers Island, one of the largest jails in the United States, which has long been scrutinized for overcrowding and management issues. Unfortunately, during her tour, she experienced an unsettling incident involving an incarcerated sex offender.
According to sources cited by the New York Post, around 10:50 AM, while Nurse was touring the facilities, she requested correctional officers to maintain a distance from her to avoid causing unnecessary tension among the inmates. However, during her visit to the facility’s dining area, inmate Gregorio Garcia unexpectedly made two inappropriate physical contacts by slapping her on the buttocks, all without uttering a word. Following this misconduct, the correctional staff quickly intervened to restrain Garcia, who initially attempted to resist but was eventually escorted back to his cell.
Despite the incident, Nurse chose not to press further, citing potential mental health issues that Garcia may be facing. Representing communities like Bushwick and Brownsville in Brooklyn, Nurse also chairs the City Council’s Criminal Justice Committee and has previously proposed a ban on the use of pepper spray on inmates.
After the incident, critics suggested that the council member should advocate for enhanced safety measures to protect not only prison staff and citizens but also non-violent offenders. They argued that offenders must be held accountable for their actions, emphasizing that this should not lead to restricting staff from using necessary tools like pepper spray or preventing violent offenders from being separated from the general population, as such policies could lead to more serious incidents in the future.
Records from the jail and court indicate that Garcia is being held on sexual assault charges from November 2023. He has also been accused of assault and forcible touching, but he has pleaded not guilty to all allegations. He is expected to appear in Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday, October 24.
