A New York City prison guard is under arrest for doing nothing as an inmate committed suicide in his jail cell.
Ryan Wilson, was awaiting transfer, and threatened to hang himself by tying a bedsheet into a noose. Another guard radioed Captain Rebecca Hillman (who ordered the tranfer) for assistance, but she did not come untill ten minutes later.
When the other guard asked to open the cell door, Hilman said to keep it closed, claiming that Wilson was "playing," but after a minute, she ordered the door opened but wouldn't let the guard provide medical aid.
Hilman called for non-emergency backup, left Wilson hanging from the light fixture until paramedics arrived, but 15 minutes had passed and Wilson was pronounced dead.
"The death of Ryan Wilson wasn't just a tragedy -- it was a crime," Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance said. "Our investigation shows that Captain Hillman ordered her subordinates not to take potentially life-saving measures to help Mr. Wilson and failed to call for medical assistance expediently."
Hillman, was taken into custody, charged with negligent homicide and offering a false report, as she claimed that she immediately ordered the guard to open Wilson's cell and cut him down.
Hilman pleaded not guilty and was released because the charges are not bail-eligible.
"This callous disregard for Mr. Wilson's safety resulted in an irreversible loss to his family and friends and must be held criminally accountable," Vance said.
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