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Mamdani mourns accused knife-wielding killer with lengthy rap sheet
New York Post • • nation
Key Points:
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed public sorrow over the death of Clarence Woodward, an inmate with a long criminal history who died in custody at Rikers Island while awaiting trial for a 2024 murder in the Bronx.
- The family of the victim, Jose Miranda, who was fatally stabbed by Woodward, criticized the mayor's statement as insensitive and felt their grief was overlooked in favor of mourning the accused killer.
- Woodward, a homeless parolee with nearly 30 prior arrests, attacked Miranda and another man in a Bronx laundromat, stabbing Miranda multiple times in a random, unprovoked assault.
- Woodward’s death marks the seventh inmate death at Rikers this year, prompting a commitment from city officials to investigate and improve jail conditions while working toward closing the facility.
- Bronx community members described Woodward as troubled and drug-addicted, contrasting him with Miranda, who was portrayed as a well-liked caretaker struggling with addiction and homelessness.
