Suicides spark lawsuit against jail

Nassau County created an independent Board of Visitors in 1990 to oversee and reform the Nassau County Correctional Center. Since its creation, however, the panel has never been fully staffed or functional. While past county executives may not have seen the need for such a board, recent incidents have once again spotlighted the jail’s problems. An inmate’s suicide on Feb. 24 was the fifth in less than two years.

“Tragically, a stay at the Nassau County jail can become a death sentence for the 11,000 people a year who are housed there awaiting trail or serving time for minor offenses,” said Samantha Fredrickson, director of the New York Civil Liberties Union’s Nassau County chapter. The NYCLU and inmates Joseph Marone and Paul Nantista have filed a lawsuit against Nassau County and County Executive Edward Mangano requesting the appointment of the Board of Visitors.

Since January 2010, seven inmates have died while in custody at the jail. The suit follows the suicide of 32-year-old East Meadow resident Bartholomew Ryan. An Iraq War veteran, who, according to his mother, Lilyann Ryan, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Ryan hanged himself with a bedsheet less than 24 hours after being admitted.

Lilyann Ryan is also suing the county for the personal injury and wrongful death of her son, according to attorney Nicholas Warywoda. “When a person goes into the jail, there is supposed to be an evaluation done,” said Warywoda. “[Ryan] didn’t have that properly done.” He added that Ryan would have been under constant supervision if he had been admitted as a suicide risk.

Additionally, “Nassau County got rid of suicide prevention courses,” said Warywoda, “which is why Ryan was inadequately screened.”

Correction officers were once required to attend 40 hours of training each year. But the requirement has been reduced to 16 hours, John Jaronczyk, president of the Nassau County Sheriff Officers Association, said at a press conference on March 2, and necessary courses like suicide awareness, CPR and first aid are not being offered this year.