Kalief Browder, 22, who spent two of his three years at Rikers
Island in solitary confinement, drew the attention of Bill de Blasio,
Rand Paul and other public figures after he was written about last year
in The New Yorker.
Kalief Browder, 22, hanged himself at his parents' home in the Bronx over the weekend.Credit
Zach Gross
Once
out of jail, Ms. Gonnerman said, “he almost recreated the conditions of
solitary,” shutting himself in his bedroom for long periods. “He was
very uncomfortable being around people, especially in large groups,” she
said.
Mr.
de Blasio’s administration in December did away with solitary
confinement for 16- and 17-year-olds, citing the damaging effects that
prolonged isolation can have on their mental stability.
In a statement released on Monday, the mayor said that “Kalief’s story helped inspire our efforts” at Rikers.
“There
is no reason he should have gone through this ordeal,” he added, “and
his tragic death is a reminder that we must continue to work each day to
provide the mental health services so many New Yorkers need.”
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