Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY AUG 16 2022

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 16 augusT 2022
Doctor who sexually abused patients kills himself in jail

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and will never get to have fi-
MICHAEL RUBINKAM nality and never have the
NEW YORK (AP) — A once- chance to address the de-
prominent neurologist con- fendant to tell him directly
victed last month of sexu- how his crimes greatly im-
ally abusing patients killed pacted their lives."
himself Monday at a New Jeffrey Fritz, who repre-
York City jail, two people sents 30 women who say
familiar with the matter they were victimized by
said. Cruciani, including Phoe-
Dr. Ricardo Cruciani, 68, nix and Tullin, said many of
was found unresponsive in his clients "feel cheated of
a shower area at the Eric criminal justice."
M. Taylor Center, a jail at The AP does not typically
the notorious Rikers Island identify people who say
complex, the people said. they are survivors of sexual
They were not authorized assault unless they grant
to speak publicly and did permission, which Phoenix
so on condition of anonym- and Tullin have done.
ity. Cruciani denied abusing
Cruciani's lawyer, Freder- women. In court, his lawyer
ick Sosinsky, confirmed in questioned the credibility
a statement that his client of his accusers.
had died, but not the man- Dr. Ricardo Cruciani walks from the center for criminal justice, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017, in Philadel- The fire department said
ner of death. phia, after pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges that he groped women at a clinic. it responded to a call of
"Ricardo's attorneys and Associated Press an inmate unconscious at
family are shocked and the jail around 5:50 a.m.
saddened beyond belief to sky said. "Had they been, fices in New York City, Phil- demand sex. Paramedics attempted to
have learned of his violent we would not be having adelphia and Hopewell, "I take comfort knowing he resuscitate the inmate but
death while in city custody this terrible discussion." New Jersey. now faces another judge," were unable, and he was
this morning," he said. Cruciani died while await- Prosecutors said Cruciani said Terrie Phoenix, who pronounced dead at the
Sosinsky called for "an im- ing sentencing next month groomed vulnerable pa- testified against Cruciani at scene, the fire department
mediate and objective in a New York state case in tients by overprescribing trial. said.
investigation" into the cir- which he was convicted of pain killers, sometimes to Cruciani's act "was in no The city's Department of
cumstances of Cruciani's 12 counts, including preda- treat serious injuries from way a sign of remorse Correction, which runs Rik-
death, including whether tory sexual assault, rape car wrecks and other ac- or guilt," said Hillary Tul- ers Island, confirmed that
jail officials complied with a and sex abuse, and acquit- cidents. lin, who also testified and an inmate at the Eric M.
court order, at the time of ted on two other counts. Six women testified the sex- who helped fuel the case Taylor Center died Mon-
his conviction, to place him He faced up to life in prison. ual abuse often occurred by calling a sexual abuse day, but did not release his
in protective custody and He was also scheduled to behind closed doors dur- hotline in 2017. "He simply name, citing pending fam-
under suicide watch. go on trial next January on ing appointments in 2013 could not stand facing the ily notification. The cause
"Neither of these conditions federal charges accusing at a Manhattan medical rest of his life behind bars." of death is under investi-
were, to our knowledge, him of abusing multiple pa- center, where the doctor Tullin called it a "sad day gation, the Department of
ever complied with," Sosin- tients over 15 years at his of- would expose himself and for all of his victims who Correction said.q
$100K reward offered in slaying of North Carolina deputy

shootings that have injured ties," the association said but it appears something
and killed several deputies in a statement. "We extend caught his attention along
in the state in recent weeks, our support to every law the road, since his vehicle
the North Carolina Sheriffs' enforcement officer; we was positioned as if to illu-
Association announced know these shootings make minate something, he said.
the reward Monday for in- the burdens of your service When Byrd did not respond
formation leading to the heavier and the dangers of to several attempts to con-
arrest and conviction of the your work feel imminently tact him, another deputy
person or people respon- more threatening." found Byrd shot outside his
sible for the killing of Wake Byrd was fatally shot late vehicle with his K-9 still in-
County Sheriff's Deputy Thursday on a dark section side the vehicle, Curry said.
Ned Byrd. The 48-year-old of Battle Bridge Road, but it Law enforcement officers
K-9 officer had been with was not immediately clear from multiple agencies
the office for 13 years. Byrd why he stopped there, sher- joined the "manhunt for the
joined the sheriff's office as iff's office spokesperson Eric perpetrator or perpetra-
Wake County Sheriff deputies work at the scene where a deputy a detention officer in 2009 Curry said last week. Byrd tors," Curry said.
was shot and killed in eastern Wake County, N.C., near the in-
tersection of Auburn Knightdale and Battle Bridge Road, Friday, and was sworn in as a dep- had responded to a do- There is still an active investi-
Aug. 12, 2022. uty in 2018, according to mestic call less than a mile gation, Curry said Monday.
Associated Press the sheriff's office. away earlier in the night, The North Carolina State
"We grieve with the fami- then entered his notes into Bureau of Investigation,
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A shot along a dark stretch of lies of the affected officers, the system, he said. FBI and Bureau of Alcohol,
$100,000 reward is being of- road in North Carolina last and we offer our condo- There was no radio traf- Tobacco, Firearms and Ex-
fered in the case of a sher- week. lences to their friends, co- fic to indicate that Byrd plosives have joined in the
iff's deputy found fatally "Horrified" by a string of workers, and communi- was making a traffic stop, investigation, Curry said.q