The mother of a man who died in jail after being busted as part of a smash-and-grab robbery crew that targeted Midtown jewelry stores is suing the Federal Bureau of Prisons for $20 million.
Crecita Williams’ 35-year-old son, Roberto Grant, was killed in May 2015 while he was in custody at the Metropolitan Correction Center awaiting sentence for a series of robberies including a $700,000 watch heist at Cartier’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue that Grant pulled off with four other men.
Grant, a father of two, had been in a jail cell that held multiple inmates when he was pummeled to death on May 19, 2015, according to the lawsuit filed in Manhattan Federal court on Wednesday.
Williams claims that prison personnel at the MCC told her that Grant died of a drug overdose but the medical examiner’s report says he died from blunt force trauma and found no drugs in his system, according to court papers.
Williams claims MCC officials were negligent for not coming to her son’s aide and not giving him medical care in time.
“[MCC employees] failed to afford reasonable oversight, supervision and security of [Grant] which caused and contributed to his death,” and they, “did attempt to cover-up the circumstances under which [Grant] died,” the lawsuit states.
Lawyer Jesse Siegel, who represented Grant said, “It was a terrible tragedy. Although he was in some trouble and facing some time in prison, he was a very nice young man with a wonderful young family and it’s a real shame.”
The Bureau of Prisons did not immediately return a call for comment.