A 32-year-old man, Soso Ramishvili, died while in New York Police Department custody at the Central Courts Building in Brooklyn. According to police and a statement from The Legal Aid Society and Brooklyn Defender Services, he was found unresponsive in a holding cell at Kings County Criminal Court on Friday morning and later pronounced dead, as per NY Daily News and Gothamist.

Ramishvili died after being arrested on Tuesday for allegedly trying to steal about $213 worth of tools and other items from a Home Depot. He was charged with petit larceny, possession of stolen property, and drug possession. According to a criminal complaint, he was moved between a police precinct, hospital, and courthouse multiple times before his death. The cause of death was not immediately known, as reported by NY Daily News.

Defense organizations have raised concerns about Ramishvili's detention, stating, "This person, who should have been granted a desk appearance and released based on the offense, languished in pain in custody for three days and was deprived of medical care despite repeated pleas from defense lawyers and other personnel to secure them needed care. This level of indifference is unconscionable." Under local law, individuals charged with low-level offenses are typically issued desk-appearance tickets and released, and New York City law requires arraignment within 24 hours unless a delay is justified, as stated by NY Daily News. The Legal Aid Society, representing Ramishvili, cited these legal requirements. The New York Police Department’s Force Investigation Division is reviewing the case, and the city medical examiner’s office will determine the cause of death. The New York Police Department has not issued a statement.