Dying Rikers prisoner spat blood on jail cell window after swallowing detergent: inmate

An inmate who died at Rikers Island after swallowing a soap ball of detergent spit blood on his jail cell window in a desperate plea for help, claims a man who says he was in the next cell.

But correction officers ignored Jason Echevarria, 25, Allen Turner says in a written account of the incident he shared with the Daily News.

I did hear him say that he was bleeding so I told him to spit it on the window, Turner says. Maybe then that will get someones attention.

Correction Officer Raymond Castro was fired, while Capt. Terrence Pendergrass was arrested in March. He was charged in Manhattan Federal Court with violating Echevarria's civil rights by denying him medial treatment.

The 2012 death was ruled a homicide.

Robert Kelner, a lawyer for Echevarrias family, said Turners story describes a situation that never should have occurred and never should happen again.

Echevarrias family is suing both Castro and Pendergrass.

A lawyer for Pendergrass didn't return a request for comment.

Rather than relying on the completely unsubstantiated claims made by a convicted felon, we believe the facts of this case will demonstrate Officer Castros innocence, said his lawyer, Liam Castro.

Turner says the trouble started when Echevarria flooded his own cell in the unit for inmates with mental health issues because he did not want to be in the box.

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Dying Rikers prisoner spat blood on jail cell window after swallowing detergent: inmate