After a judge agreed to hear arguments on the issue, Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor joined the Legal Aid Society and other lawyers representing people detained in the jail complex in calling for a takeover.
Under pressure to stem violence in New York City jails, the commissioner, Louis A. Molina, has angered federal officials by withholding information on sensitive investigations.
The comments from Judge Laura Taylor Swain came after the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan called for the jails to be taken over by an outside authority.
The statement from Damian Williams was a major shift and could help persuade a judge to strip Mayor Eric Adams of his power over the troubled jails complex.