Family of convicted murderer sues over his suicide while incarcerated

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The family of a convicted murderer who committed suicide in his cell in Erie County is suing the state.

The family of Dante Taylor, 22 at the time of his death, filed a federal lawsuit on Monday. The suit alleges that guards assaulted him before his death, and the prison did not do enough to prevent his suicide, despite warning signs.

Taylor’s relatives say his death was reckless and avoidable, and that the prison should have enacted a suicide watch or other suicide prevention efforts.

Taylor killed himself in infirmary cell in Wende Correctional facility in October 2017. He was serving a life-without-parole sentence for the 2014 rape and murder of Sarah Goode on Long Island.

Taylor’s murder case was under appeal when he died, so the courts vacated the conviction, a practice known as abatement.

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