Bill de Blasio, speaking at an unrelated bill
signing, said that the investigation into Jerome Murdough's death last month on
Rikers Island was ongoing but that he was struck by The Associated Press'
account in a story Wednesday about the 56-year-old man's death last month.
"We don't know all the facts yet ... but
obviously the allegations we've heard so far are very troubling," he said.
"My heart goes out to his family; we lost someone who served his
country."
Four city officials told the AP that Murdough, who
was on anti-psychotic and anti-seizure medication, was found dead in the early
hours of Feb. 15 in a cell that had overheated, apparently by malfunctioning
equipment. He also did not open a small vent in his cell, as other inmates did,
to let in cool air, they said.
One of the officials, who all spoke on condition of
anonymity because they were not permitted to discuss specifics of the case,
said Murdough "basically baked to death."
The medical examiner's office said that an autopsy
was inconclusive and that more tests were needed to determine Murdough's exact
cause of death. But the officials, all with detailed knowledge of the case, say
initial indications from the autopsy and investigation point to extreme
dehydration or heat stroke.
Murdough's 75-year-old mother, Alma Murdough, said
Thursday she appreciated the mayor's comments but insisted more had to be done
to find out how her son died.
"They knew he
had problems. There's no excuse," she
said of her son, who she said had bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
"They've got a
lot of stuff to check," she
said of the investigation. "A lot of stuff
to correct."
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