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ISLAND OF BRUTALITY: The violence at Rikers Island prison got so bad, the federal government had to step in. Progress has been made, but there are still concerns about the use of force against inmates.
BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS; PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NEWSWEEK
RONALD SPEAR wore glasses and walked with a cane. While the 52-year-old awaited trial at Rikers Island, a New York City jail so violent it’s under federal oversight, he was housed in a medical unit because his kidneys were failing and he needed regular dialysis. On his wrist was a bracelet that read, “Risk of Fall.” Early on December 19, 2012, Spear demanded to see a doctor.