Nunez is a major class action lawsuit challenging systemic brutality of staff against people incarcerated in New York City jails and the safe treatment of young incarcerated people. The United States Department of Justice joined the lawsuit as a plaintiff-intervenor. The case resulted in a landmark consent decree mandating significant reforms in use of force and security practices in the jails. The court appointed a monitor to oversee mandated reforms, who has filed over 50 reports detailing the lack of progress towards systemic reform. The Court subsequently entered four remedial orders for additional relief, before holding New York City in contempt of 18 separate provisions of the Court’s orders. Plaintiffs sought appointment of a receiver to implement the Court ordered reforms, and on May 13, 2025, the Court granted the motion for appointment of a Remediation Manager.

On November 18, 2025, the Court rejected most of the City’s attempts to improperly limit the scope of a Remediation Manager’s duties, and entered an Order defining the role.

In January of 2026 the Court appointed Nicholas Deml as Remediation Manager over Rikers Island.

Monitor Reports and Remedial Orders can be found here.