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Man in NYPD custody found dead inside Manhattan courthouse, police say
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Mar 26, 2025
Modified Mar 26, 2025
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Diana Robinson Photography via Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Mar 26, 2025
Modified Mar 26, 2025
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A 43-year-old man died in NYPD custody at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Wednesday, according to police — the third time this year someone has died at a city courthouse.
NYPD officials said the man was discovered unresponsive around 8 a.m. while awaiting a court appearance. First responders transported him to NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased, police said.
Officials did not immediately release the man’s name as they worked to notify his family, but said he was arrested Tuesday evening near Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street in Midtown for theft of service for holding a subway gate open and asking for money. Police said officers found evidence of drugs, and charged him with criminal possession of a controlled substance.
The city’s chief medical examiner was working to determine how the man died, and the NYPD's Force Investigation Division was looking into the incident, according to officials.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office also said it was reviewing the incident, but a spokesperson did not have many details as of Wednesday afternoon.
Last Friday, 32-year-old Soso Ramishvili died in NYPD custody at the Central Courts Building in Brooklyn while awaiting an appearance on petit larceny charges, according to officials.
In February, 55-year-old Terrence Moore died in city Department of Correction custody while awaiting an appearance in Manhattan Supreme Court. A city Board of Correction report on Moore’s death found that he became lethargic after smoking “unknown paraphernalia” in the holding pen at the courthouse.
Both cases remain under review.
The nonprofit Legal Aid Society, a public defender organization and advocacy group, said it represented the 43-year-old and called for an “immediate, comprehensive and impartial investigation” into his death.
“Our client needed supportive services, but instead spent their final hours confined to a cage,” the organization said in a statement Wednesday. “The Legal Aid Society mourns the loss of yet another client and we demand urgent answers regarding their death.”
This is a developing story based on preliminary information from police and may be updated.
Charles Lane contributed reporting.
Tagged
new york city
public safety
manhattan
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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