A state prisoner, who was in poor health, passed away while in city custody last week. Interestingly, this individual had recently achieved a significant milestone – winning a new trial after spending five years behind bars. The original conviction had been related to a brutal stabbing incident in the Bronx back in 2016, where the prisoner was found guilty of stabbing his wife 13 times.
Roy Savage, aged 51, passed away on March 22 in the jail ward of Bellevue Hospital. This unfortunate incident marks the third death in the jails this year. While the cause of death is still under investigation by the city Medical Examiner’s office, it has been reported that Savage was battling cancer at the time of his passing.
Savage was transferred to Rikers Island on November 30th following the order for a new trial by a five-judge appellate panel. The panel ruled that an NYPD detective had made an error in reciting the Miranda warning and guiding Savage’s confession after his arrest in 2016.
When the detective informed him of his rights, he assured Savage that anything he said may not necessarily be used against him in court. Furthermore, the detectives deceived Savage by suggesting that confessing wouldn’t necessarily end his defense and that it would be the right thing to do.
According to the appellate panel, the police officers’ additional commentary and misleading statements undermined the Miranda warnings. They noted that no specific action was taken to correct any misunderstanding that may have resulted from these statements.
In situations where a suspect is entitled to be advised of his rights, it is crucial that institutions do not spread misleading information.
In the case, the trial judge, Margaret Clancy, suppressed his initial statement to detectives. However, the panel concluded that she made a mistake in not suppressing a second confession to prosecutors and the DNA evidence found on the knife, considering them as “fruit of the poisoned tree,” according to the decision.
Bronx prosecutors filed an appeal in response to the decision, which was still pending at the time of Savage’s death.
He displayed his injuries, which consisted of cuts on his hand and scratches on his neck. However, detectives were able to discredit his claims after examining the security footage.
In 2024, Savage became the third person to die while under the custody of the Correction Department. This unfortunate incident adds to the growing number of deaths in recent years, with nine occurring in 2023, nineteen in 2022, and sixteen in 2021.
