A wildcat strike by guards at New York’s prisons, now in its second week, is fueling fears over deteriorating conditions behind bars. A 61-year-old inmate died over the weekend at one of the prisons where National Guard troops were deployed to replace corrections officers who walked off the job. Jonathon Grant was pronounced dead after being found unresponsive in his cell at the Auburn Correctional Facility. It wasn’t clear if the prison’s staffing situation was a factor in his death but a legal aid office expressed concern that the strike was making it difficult for prisoners to get medical care. Mediation between state officials and the union that represents the guards began Monday.
- February 24, 2025
- 47°