Suffolk County Man Pleads Guilty to Covering Up Death of Rikers Island Inmate

A New York City correction officer pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges related to covering up the cause of death of an inmate at Rikers Island in the Bronx back in 2012, according to the U.S. Attorney.

Byron Taylor, 32, of Brentwood was charged with perjury and conspiracy to obstruct justice after lying about his actions as well as the actions of other correction officers during an investigation into the death of Ronald Spear, the U.S. Attorney said.

At the time of his death, Spear was incarcerated as a pretrial detainee in the North Infirmary Command, a facility for detainees who have serious physical ailments or conditions requiring medical supervision and intervention.

He was suffering from end-stage renal disease, which required him to receive dialysis treatments, and wore a bracelet indicating that he was at “Risk of Fall." He also typically walked with a cane.

In December 2012, Spear left the housing area in the infirmity unit to go see the on-duty doctor when he was stopped outside the doctor’s office by a correction officer, according to the U.S. Attorney.

When he was told the doctor was not available to see him at that time, an altercation between officers and Spear ensued, and Spear was pronounced dead at the scene shortly afterward, the U.S. Attorney said.

After his death, Taylor and others covered up the true cause of Spear’s death by creating a false story that portrayed Spear as the aggressor, the DA said.

The correction officers filed false Use of Force reports with the Department of Correction and lied repeatedly to Department of Correction investigators, to the Bronx District Attorney and, in Taylor's case, to a federal grand jury, according to the U.S. Attorney.

“As he admitted today, New York City Correction Officer Byron Taylor conspired to cover up the beating and death of Ronald Spear, a detainee at Rikers Island," said Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. "This Office is committed to ensuring that incarcerated people are treated fairly and protected from abuse by the correction officers sworn to both guard and protect them.”