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| 5 Rikers Officers Convicted in Beating of Inmate | 5 Rikers Officers Convicted in Beating of Inmate |
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| Five New York City correction officers accused in the brutal beating of a Rikers Island inmate were convicted of all charges on Tuesday, including the most serious count of attempted gang assault in the first degree. | Five New York City correction officers accused in the brutal beating of a Rikers Island inmate were convicted of all charges on Tuesday, including the most serious count of attempted gang assault in the first degree. |
| The jury also found them guilty of other charges, including attempted assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, falsifying business records and official misconduct in the July 2012 beating of the inmate, Jahmal Lightfoot, and an effort to cover it up. | The jury also found them guilty of other charges, including attempted assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, falsifying business records and official misconduct in the July 2012 beating of the inmate, Jahmal Lightfoot, and an effort to cover it up. |
| The jury acquitted a sixth officer, Jeffrey Richard, who was not directly involved in the beating, of all charges in connection to the cover-up. | The jury acquitted a sixth officer, Jeffrey Richard, who was not directly involved in the beating, of all charges in connection to the cover-up. |
| The verdicts for six of the nine current and former officers, who were tried together, were delivered by a jury in State Supreme Court in the Bronx on the fourth day of deliberations. | The verdicts for six of the nine current and former officers, who were tried together, were delivered by a jury in State Supreme Court in the Bronx on the fourth day of deliberations. |
| The three other officers have chosen to allow the judge presiding over the trial, Justice Steven Barrett, to try them, and the judge said he would deliver his decision on Friday. | The three other officers have chosen to allow the judge presiding over the trial, Justice Steven Barrett, to try them, and the judge said he would deliver his decision on Friday. |
| The outcome was a major victory for prosecutors, who have struggled in New York and elsewhere to successfully bring cases against correction officers in alleged brutality cases, in part because of negative perceptions and credibility problems with victims who are criminals themselves. | The outcome was a major victory for prosecutors, who have struggled in New York and elsewhere to successfully bring cases against correction officers in alleged brutality cases, in part because of negative perceptions and credibility problems with victims who are criminals themselves. |
| In one recent instance, a guard at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, N.Y., was acquitted of criminal assault, despite security camera footage of his repeatedly punching an inmate and testimony from the prison’s superintendent that the violent response was not justifiable. | In one recent instance, a guard at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, N.Y., was acquitted of criminal assault, despite security camera footage of his repeatedly punching an inmate and testimony from the prison’s superintendent that the violent response was not justifiable. |
| “Unfortunately, successful prosecutions of correction officers for misconduct and abuse of prisoners are rare,” said Jonathan S. Abady, a lawyer who has represented Rikers inmates in brutality cases against correction officers. Though Mr. Abady has won multimillion-dollar settlements in lawsuits against the city over the abuse, few of those correction officers were convicted of criminal charges, he said. | |
| Mr. Abady said prosecutors worked closely with correction officers, just as they did with the police, and had often declined to vigorously pursue charges against guards. In addition, he said, prosecutors and jurors sometimes view inmates with bias and skepticism. | Mr. Abady said prosecutors worked closely with correction officers, just as they did with the police, and had often declined to vigorously pursue charges against guards. In addition, he said, prosecutors and jurors sometimes view inmates with bias and skepticism. |
| “Regrettably, some people think of prisoners as less than human,” he said. “It’s very troubling and unfair, but it’s also an undeniable perspective animating these cases.” | “Regrettably, some people think of prisoners as less than human,” he said. “It’s very troubling and unfair, but it’s also an undeniable perspective animating these cases.” |