Man charged in deadly Bronx stabbing dies in custody on Rikers Island
The Department of Correction said 41-year-old Clarence Woodward, of Brooklyn, died early Monday morning at the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island.
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A man accused in a deadly stabbing in the Bronx has died while in custody on Rikers Island, marking the seventh death in New York City Department of Correction custody this year.
The Department of Correction said 41-year-old Clarence Woodward, of Brooklyn, died early Monday morning at the Robert N. Davoren Center on Rikers Island.
According to officials, a correction officer conducting a tour at approximately 5 a.m. called for a medical emergency involving Woodward. Officers rendered aid before medical staff and EMS arrived. Woodward was pronounced dead at 5:40 a.m.
The cause of death has not yet been released and remains under investigation.
Woodward was arrested two years ago in connection with a stabbing at a Claremont section laundromat in the Bronx. Authorities said he was accused of stabbing two people, killing one person and injuring another.
In a statement, Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards offered condolences to Woodward's family.
"Our department mourns the loss of Clarence Woodward and we share our deepest condolences with his family and loved ones. This tragedy will be thoroughly investigated," Richards said.
The Department of Correction said it has notified multiple oversight and investigative agencies, including the federal monitor, Board of Correction, New York State Attorney General's Office, Department of Investigation, State Commission of Correction, Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Bronx District Attorney's Office and Woodward's attorney.
The death has renewed concerns from criminal justice advocates and elected officials about conditions at Rikers Island and the city's jail population.
Advocates said deaths in custody continue to retraumatize families who have lost loved ones while incarcerated.
"We are a system that believes in the presumption of innocence. Innocent until proven guilty," said advocate Darren Mack. "We have to address these deaths with a sense of urgency, and that means getting the population down," he said.
City Council Criminal Justice Committee Chair Selvena N. Brooks-Powers also issued a statement following the death.
"Every death is significant, and while the cause and circumstances remain under investigation, this loss once again underscores the urgent need to ensure cases move through our criminal justice system without unnecessary delays," Brooks-Powers wrote.
She added that people in city custody "deserve safety, medical care, and humane treatment," and called for accountability and answers surrounding the latest death.
The investigation into Woodward's death is ongoing.
