---
title: "A Marine Veteran Died In A New York City Jail Because Work Was Stopped Over A Long Holiday Weekend"
date: "2014-05-07"
modified: "2014-05-07"
authors:
  - name: "Brian Adam Jones"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/brianadamjones/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-veteran-died-new-york-city-jail-work-stopped-long-holiday-weekend/"
categories:
  - "Around the World"
  - "Marine Corps"
  - "Military Branches"
  - "News"
  - "United States"
tags:
  - "justice"
  - "scandals"
---

# A Marine Veteran Died In A New York City Jail Because Work Was Stopped Over A Long Holiday Weekend

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/06/19031410-1.jpg>)

The homeless Marine veteran who virtually baked to death in a hot New York City did so because work was delayed on the cell over Presidents Day weekend, [the Associated Press has reported](<https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20140507/NEWS/305070041/Marine-vet-s-death-Holiday-delayed-work-hot-NYC-jail>).

It's a tragic update to an already troubling story; the story of James Murdough, a 56-year-old homeless veteran who was arrested in February of this year and sent to Rikers Island, a part of New York City's jail system. Roughly a week later, he was placed in a cell where the heater was broken. He was found dead hours later, in a room where the heat was over 100 degrees.

The Associated Press initially broke the story back in March, and have issued a new report that details how the cell was able to go unrepaired:

The two work orders for “too much heat” prepared on Feb. 14, a Friday, weren’t received until Feb. 18, the following Tuesday, because the maintenance department doesn’t receive requests during weekends ... In addition, that Monday was Presidents Day, a federal holiday.

[Read the full report from the Associated Press at the Marine Corps Times »](<https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20140507/NEWS/305070041/Marine-vet-s-death-Holiday-delayed-work-hot-NYC-jail>)