The Legal Aid Society filed a third lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court, Bronx County today on behalf of 110 individuals currently held at Rikers Island on a non-criminal technical parole violation. These individuals, by virtue of their age and/or underlying medical condition, are particularly vulnerable to serious illness or death if infected by COVID-19, and jail conditions make it impossible to protect them, according to the New York Post.

Technical parole violations are non-criminal matters for which individuals can be held in custody without bail for missing a curfew, failing to report, or failing to notify their parole officer of an address change.

Quote: “COVID-19 is spreading rapidly at Rikers Island and other local jails, endangering our clients, correction staff and all of New York City,” said Tina Luongo, Attorney-in-Charge of the Criminal Defense Practice at The Legal Aid Society.