Death of woman in New York jail sparks investigation by attorney general

The attorney general of New York state is taking over an investigation into the case of a black woman who was found dead in a jail cell last month.

Raynette Turner, 42, was arrested for shoplifting on 25 July and was found dead two days later in her cell at Mount Vernon police headquarters.

View image in fullscreen

The mother of eight was arrested on a Saturday, reported feeling ill on Sunday and was taken to an area hospital that night. She was brought back to the jail around 10pm that night, and found dead at 2pm the next day, when corrections officers came to collect her for her arraignment.

State attorney general Eric Schneiderman is operating for the first time under a new executive order signed into law in July by governor Andrew Cuomo. It requires the attorney general to be a special prosecutor in cases where an unarmed civilian death was caused by law enforcement.

Cuomo said in a statement that this case is exemplary of why he signed the executive order into law. “Ms Turner’s death is a tragedy for her loved ones, and it raises questions not just from her family, but from her neighbors, elected officials, community members and the media – questions that deserve answers,” Cuomo said.

Turner’s autopsy is pending. She had a history of hypertension and gastric bypass surgery, Mount Vernon deputy police commissioner Richard Burke told lohud.com.

The incident has also raised questions about why Turner was kept in police custody over the weekend over a minor charge instead of being released and summoned to court at a later date.

Her death has drawn comparisons to that of Sandra Bland, a woman who was found dead in a Texas jail cell after being arrested for a minor traffic violation. An autopsy said that Bland killed herself, an assessment that many are skeptical of – including her family and civil rights advocates.

Three other black women have died in police custody in the past month. Kindra Chapman, 18, was found dead in an Alabama police holding cell, where she was being held after the attempted robbery of a cell phone. Joyce Curnell, 50, was found dead at a South Carolina detention center after being detained for an outstanding warrant for shoplifting. And Ralkina Jones, 37, was found dead in a Cleveland jail where she was being held after her ex-husband called police to say that she was attacking him.