EXCLUSIVE: Bronx DA won’t charge correction officers in Rikers inmate’s death

Jefferson Siegel Bronx DA Robert Johnson won’t prosecute the corrections officers despite the circumstances of the inmate’s death.

The Bronx district attorney won’t prosecute correction officers in the 2012 death of a Rikers Island inmate despite the case being ruled a homicide.

Ronald Spear, 52, died shortly after complaining that doctors and correction officers were withholding treatment for his kidney disease. His family claims the officers retaliated by beating him to death.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Robert Johnson said his office “found it couldn’t prove criminal responsibility (on the officers’ behalf) beyond a reasonable doubt.”

But Spear’s relatives aren’t satisfied.

They point to an autopsy report by the city medical examiner’s office, shared with the Daily News, which says the burglary suspect sustained blunt-force trauma to the head, torso and arms.

An autopsy report says Ronald Spear’s death was caused by hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with blunt-force trauma as a contributing factor.

The report identifies the manner of death as homicide and hypertensive cardiovascular disease as the cause. It says a physical altercation with blunt-force trauma to the head was a contributing cause.

“We are disappointed by the DA’s decision not to prosecute,” said Spear’s stepmother, Margarette Daniels. “We are continuing our search for justice for Ronald and for accountability for the correction officers who killed him.”

Spear’s father is pursuing a Manhattan Federal Court lawsuit and the family has called on federal prosecutors to investigate. City lawyers declined to comment. Correction officers union President Norman Seabrook said, “Correction officers in this case did everything they were supposed to do.”

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