Guard, ex-guard arrested in 2012 death of Rikers inmate
A current and former Rikers Island correction officer were arrested in an inmate’s 2012 beating death and a third guard has already pleaded guilty in the case after a federal investigation revealed the guards in the nation’s second-largest jail system conspired to lie about what happened, authorities announced Wednesday.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announced the arrests of former guard Brian Coll and current guard Byron Taylor in Ronald Spear’s death following a federal investigation that began when state authorities decided not to bring charges.
“Rikers inmates, although walled off from the rest of society, are not walled off from the protections of our Constitution,” Preet said at a news conference.