Coronavirus News: Inmate at Rikers Island in NYC dies of COVID-19

NEW YORK CITY -- Lawyers for the first Rikers Island inmate to die from COVID-19 say he was being held at the notorious New York City jail on a technical parole violation.

Michael Tyson, 53, died Sunday at Bellevue Hospital, 10 days after being transferred there from Rikers Island with symptoms of the disease.

Tyson was released from state prison last year after serving time for sale of a controlled substance. He was sent to Rikers on a parole violation on Feb. 28, according to jail records.

City jails have released about 1,000 inmates because of the pandemic. Many have a high risk of serious complications if they contract the disease and are a low risk to reoffend, officials said.

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