🏛️ The Gutter Report: Barry Cozart and John Price Die Days Apart in Rikers Custody
Two detainees died within five days in separate facilities as key details remain unclear
🚨 Two Deaths Within Five Days
🔒 Rikers Island, the city’s main jail complex where both men were being held
New York City, Rikers Island — In late March 2026, two men died while in custody on Rikers Island:
Barry Cozart, 39 — March 25, 2026
John Price, 49 — March 30, 2026
Both were being held pretrial.
As first reported by the Queens Daily Eagle, these were the first in-custody deaths at Rikers Island in 2026.
🧾 March 25 — Barry Cozart (George R. Vierno Center)
📸 A recent image of Barry Cozart shared publicly before his time in custody
Cozart was housed inside the George R. Vierno Center when he suffered what officials described as a medical emergency.
Correction staff responded inside the housing unit, but he was pronounced dead shortly after.
He had been held on burglary and larceny charges and was awaiting a future court appearance, according to the New York Post.
His family later told Gothamist that he did not arrive at Rikers with any urgent medical condition.
👉🏾 That detail shifts the focus to what happened during his time inside.
🧾 March 28–30 — John Price (Eric M. Taylor Center → Elmhurst Hospital)
🏢 One of Rikers’ main housing facilities, where Price was held before being moved
Price’s situation developed over two days.
While housed in the Eric M. Taylor Center, he began experiencing a medical issue that required outside treatment.
He was transported off Rikers on March 28 and taken to Elmhurst Hospital, where he died roughly 12 hours later on March 30.
According to News 12 Long Island, he became ill while still in custody before the transfer.
Additional reporting from the Queens Daily Eagle confirms he had been detained since December 2024 and was awaiting a court date in April.
🏛️ Official Review
🏥 The hospital where Price was taken after leaving Rikers custody
City officials have confirmed both deaths are under investigation.
An official Department of Correction report shows that Price’s death triggered a formal review process.
As of now, no full findings or medical explanations have been publicly released.
🧠 What Remains Unclear
In both cases:
no detailed medical timeline has been released
no confirmed cause of death has been publicly explained
no clear breakdown of response time has been provided
Both deaths have been described broadly as medical emergencies.
But without specifics, that leaves major gaps in understanding what actually happened.
⚠️ Final Word
Two men entered Rikers Island awaiting trial.
Within five days, both were gone.
One died inside a housing unit.
The other was transferred out and died hours later.
And the same questions remain:
👉🏾 What happened inside?
👉🏾 And could either outcome have been prevented?
Not for clicks — for clarity.
— Elliott Carterr, LFTG Radio
📱 TikTok: @elliott_carterr ↗
📺 YouTube: @lftgradio ↗
🌐 Website: LFTGRadio.com ↗
⚖️ The Gutter Justice Project ↗
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