NYC Mayor Mamdani Faces Backlash Over Condolences for Murder Suspect
Critics accuse Mayor Zohran Mamdani of showing more sympathy for criminals than victims following a social media post about a deceased inmate.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism after posting condolences on X for Luis Alberto Lopez Castillo, an inmate who died in custody while facing charges in the murder of 26-year-old Ron Marte. Castillo was accused of murder, manslaughter, and robbery in connection with Marte's 2025 death.
Mamdani's post on Thursday stated, "A person in City custody died yesterday evening following a court appearance in Queens. Department of Correction staff performed CPR until emergency medical services arrived to take him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. I extend my condolences to his family. In line with standard practice, the DOC and its oversight partners will investigate the circumstances of his death."
Critics quickly pointed to the victim's special needs and the nature of the alleged crime, which prosecutors say involved Castillo and an accomplice ambushing Marte as he walked home from work, with Castillo allegedly taking his cellphone after the accomplice shot Marte.
"Again!" Fox Business anchor David Asman posted on X. "I thought somewhere in the beginning of ‘An Idiot’s Guide to Being Mayor’ here’s a suggestion: ‘Display sympathy for the victims; Not the criminals.’"
The Jewish advocacy group StopAntisemitism questioned on X, "Didn’t he murder a 26 year old special needs man?"
Benny Polatseck, a former digital producer for former NYC Mayor Eric Adams, posted on X, "The guy Mamdani is mourning here was charged with robbing and murdering a 26 year old with special needs. Did you see any tweets from him mourning his helpless victim?"
Conservative influencer account Proud Elephant called the mayor's post "Absolutely shameful" and stated, "Just when you thought Mamdani couldn’t go any lower. Mamdani should do the right thing and resign from office in disgrace."
This is not the first time Mamdani has drawn criticism for similar sentiments. In August, he mourned the death of an inmate charged with murder who had a significant arrest record. Mamdani has been a vocal proponent of improving safety and living conditions within the city's jail system, advocating for reforms such as ending 12-hour shifts for correctional staff, closing Rikers Island, and strengthening oversight agreements. His administration has also worked on transferring unused Rikers facilities and opening a therapeutic housing unit at Bellevue Hospital for specialized medical care. The city is legally committed to closing Rikers and replacing it with borough-based jails, a plan Mamdani aims to accelerate, though critics argue this could reduce jail capacity and impede crime-fighting efforts.