Mayor Eric Adams is being sued for overstepping his authority by declaring a state of emergency to prevent a ban on a certain practice in city jails.
The New York City Council has taken legal action against Mayor Eric Adams to enforce a law prohibiting solitary confinement in city jails. The lawsuit, filed in State Supreme Court, challenges the mayor’s use of emergency executive orders to block the implementation of the law, arguing that it exceeds his legal authority. City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams criticized the mayor’s actions as an abuse of power.
This legal battle is part of a broader conflict between Mayor Adams and the City Council over various policy issues, including housing, policing, budget cuts, and the closure of the Rikers Island jail complex. The Council passed a law in December banning solitary confinement in most cases, citing concerns about its impact on detainees. Despite the mayor’s veto, the Council overrode it.
In July, Mayor Adams declared a state of emergency in city jails, just before the law was due to take effect, and issued an order blocking key provisions of the solitary confinement ban. He argued that the law would jeopardize the safety of inmates and staff by limiting tools to prevent violence. The correction officers’ union supported the mayor’s stance, expressing concerns about increased assaults on officers.
The lawsuit, filed by the City Council and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, challenges the mayor’s actions as setting a dangerous precedent for future policy disputes. Solitary confinement, also known as punitive segregation, involves isolating detainees in cells for most of the day. The banned practice would only be allowed for a limited period during emergencies, with detainees required to spend at least 14 hours outside their cells daily.
Rikers Island, where the city’s main jail is located, has been under scrutiny for its violence and excessive force issues. A federal judge recently found the city in contempt for failing to address these problems and hinted at potential intervention in jail operations. The push to ban solitary confinement was driven in part by the deaths of individuals in custody, including Layleen Polanco, a transgender woman who died in solitary confinement after suffering an epileptic seizure.
In conclusion, the lawsuit against Mayor Adams underscores the ongoing debate over solitary confinement in New York City jails and highlights the broader tensions between the mayor and the City Council. The legal battle reflects concerns about the use of emergency powers and the treatment of detainees in the city’s correctional facilities.
Source: The NY Times
