Kalief Browder

Kalief Browder (May 25, 1993June 6, 2015) was an African American youth from The Bronx, New York, who was held at the Rikers Island jail complex, without trial, between 2010 and 2013 for allegedly stealing a backpack containing valuables. During his imprisonment, Browder was in solitary confinement for 700 days. Two years after his release, Browder hanged himself at his parents' home. His case has been cited by activists campaigning for reform of the New York City criminal justice system and has attracted widespread attention in the years following his death. In 2017, Jay-Z produced a television documentary mini-series titled Time: The Kalief Browder Story. In January 2019, New York City settled a civil lawsuit with the Browder family for $3.3 million. Early life At birth, Browder was placed into the care of Child Protective Services due to his mother's drug addiction. He was the youngest of seven biological siblings and one of the five placed for adoption. Browder's adoptive mother, Venida Browder, had raised thirty-four children by 2015, including fostered, adopted, and her biological children. The family lived in a two-story brick house on Prospect Avenue near the Bronx Zoo. Browder attended New Day Academy, whose staff described him as very smart and a "fun guy".