Joel Howard

Memorial by Anonymous

Mr. Joel Howard, 60 years old, died of the Covid-19 virus in NYC’s hospital ward at Bellevue. His death is not counted toward the NYC Department of Corrections’ official count of people who died in custody, because his release via a bond payment had been approved shortly before he died.

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From Mourning Our Losses:

On April 16, 2020, Joel Howard lost his struggle with COVID-19. Although hospitalized at the time of his death, he contracted the deadly illness while in custody at Rikers Island. Reporting by The City revealed that he died one day after his release, after spending almost two years awaiting a trial in New York City jails.

We mourn the loss of Joel Howard, and deplore the conditions that led to his death.