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Neurologist Ricardo Cruciani died of a suspected suicide at Rikers Island on Monday morning, two weeks after he was found guilty of sexual offenses against six patients.
Cruciani, whose medical practice focused on chronic pain, was found in the shower area of the New York City jail facility with a sheet around his neck, The New York Times reported. Medical personnel responded, but he was pronounced dead approximately an hour later.
Cruciani, who was 68, was convicted by a jury following three days of deliberations. The jury found him guilty of 12 counts, including two counts of rape, seven counts of criminal sexual acts, and one count each of predatory sexual assault, attempted rape, and sex abuse. He was acquitted on two other counts.
An official familiar with the situation told the Times that Cruciani was kept in the dormitory general population section of the understaffed Eric M. Taylor Center.
NYC NEUROLOGIST FOUND GUILTY ON 12 COUNTS OF SEXUAL ABUSE
Dr. Ricardo Cruciani, a neurologist who admitted groping women at a Philadelphia clinic, leaves Manhattan state Supreme Court in New York. (AP Photo/Colleen Long, File)
Another official told the newspaper that Cruciani went into the shower area at 4:23 a.m. and an officer discovered him unresponsive at 5:35 a.m. While that area is supposed to be frequented by officers every 30 minutes, the official did not know if that had been the case Monday morning.
New York City Department of Corrections Commissioner Louis Molina said in a statement to the Times that he was "deeply saddened" about the death of someone in custody.
"We will conduct a preliminary internal review to determine the circumstances surrounding his death," he said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones."
Prosecutors accused Cruciani of grooming patients by overprescribing painkillers and then demanding sexual favors. One woman said he "didn’t finish writing my prescriptions until I did something for him."
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Cruciani had denied the sexual abuse allegations, and his attorney, Fred Sosinsky, said following the verdict that he was going to appeal the decision.
Cruciani still faced federal charges, based on allegations that he abused patients over the course of 15 years at his offices in New York City, Philadelphia and Hopewell, New Jersey.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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