A once-prominent neurologist convicted last month of sexually abusing patients died by suicide on Monday at a New York City jail, two people familiar with the matter said.
Ricardo Cruciani was found unresponsive in a shower area at the Eric M Taylor Centre, a jail at the notorious Rikers Island complex, the people said. They were not authorised to speak publicly and did so on condition of anonymity.
Cruciani's lawyer, Frederick Sosinsky, confirmed in a statement that his client had died, but not the manner of death.
“Ricardo’s attorneys and family are shocked and saddened beyond belief to have learnt of his violent death while in city custody this morning,” he said.
Mr Sosinsky called for “an immediate and objective investigation” into the circumstances of Cruciani’s death, including whether jail officials complied with a court order, at the time of his conviction, to place him in protective custody and under suicide watch.
Cruciani died while awaiting sentencing next month in a New York state case in which he was convicted of 12 charges, including predatory sexual assault, rape and sex abuse, and acquitted on two others. He faced up to life in prison.
He was also scheduled to go on trial next January on federal charges accusing him of abusing several patients over 15 years at his offices in New York, Philadelphia and Hopewell, New Jersey.
Prosecutors said Cruciani groomed vulnerable patients by overprescribing pain killers, sometimes to treat serious injuries from car wrecks and other accidents.
Six women gave evidence that the sexual abuse often occurred behind closed doors during appointments in 2013 at a Manhattan medical centre, where the doctor would expose himself and demand sex.
“I take comfort knowing he now faces another judge,” said Terrie Phoenix, one of six women who gave evidence against Cruciani at trial.
The fire department said it responded to a call of an inmate unconscious at the jail at about 5.50am. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate the inmate but were unable to do so, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, the fire department said.
Jails commissioner Louis Molina said in a statement that he was “deeply saddened” to learn of the inmate’s death and promised “a preliminary internal review to determine the circumstances surrounding his death”.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones,” Mr Molina said.
Cruciani is at least the 11th person to die in a city jail this year. Last year, 16 people died — the most since 2013.
Messages seeking comment were left with lawyers for women who say they were abused by him. A message was also left with the Manhattan district attorney's office, which prosecuted the case that ended in his July 29 conviction.
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