Layleen Xtravaganza Cubilette-Polanco
New video footage has surfaced related to the death of Layleen Xtravaganza Cubilette-Polanco, a transgender woman prisoner who died in a New York jail about a year ago, and her family is arguing that her death could’ve been prevented.
Polanco’s family contends that the 10 hours of footage shows that Riker Island staff may have been responsible for her death, NBC News reports.
In addition, the video footage, which comes from a surveillance camera located in the restricted area outside of the confinement cell Polanco was put in, shows that Rikers staffers opened Polanco’s cell and call to her to come out.
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Polanco was placed in punitive confinement for assaulting a correction officer.
Polanco family attorney David Shanies said the new footage is “the last piece of the puzzle” in a wrongful death lawsuit against Rikers.
