Man dies in custody at Manhattan Criminal Court

A man in custody at Manhattan Criminal Court died early Wednesday. He was in a holding area when he passed away. Officials have not released his name or the cause of death. This incident is the fifth death connected to the Correction Department in 2025. It matches the number of deaths recorded for all of 2024. This marks the second death at the Manhattan courthouse within a month. Earlier in February, Terence Moore, 55, also died in custody in the same courthouse after a possible seizure. Reports indicated he was seen using a potential narcotic shortly before his health deteriorated. In another recent case, Soso Ramishvili, 32, died in police custody at Brooklyn Criminal Court while waiting for an arraignment. He had been in custody for three days following a shoplifting arrest. Advocates criticized his death, stating he should have been released due to the minor nature of his crime. They said he did not receive necessary medical care despite requests. Recent deaths also include Sonia Reyes, who died on March 20 at the West Facility on Rikers Island, and Ariel Quidone, who passed away on March 15 after collapsing. Quidone’s family said he suffered from a burst appendix and serious infection while only in jail for eight days.