A New York City rapper and gang affiliate died in prison this year from complications with a cardiovascular disease brought on by an overdose of synthetic marijuana.
Michael Garret, 40, was being held at NYC's Metropolitan Detention Center and was facing a life sentence after being convicted of murder. He was a co-leader for a Brooklyn gang known as Together Forever Mafia, a group that also dabbled in hip-hop music, according to the NY Daily News. A spokeswoman for the city medical examiner said the death was “accidental,” and revealed that an overdose of synthetic marijuana contributed to it. Garret’s former lawyer James Lisa was taken back by the autopsy report. “I’m incredulous,” Lisa. “He was in federal custody. That’s not like Rikers Island or a county facility.” Prison spokeswoman Cherie Nolan told the Daily News that she was surprised Garret was able to get his hands on the drugs since they normally run a tight ship in facilities like the one he was being held in. “The feds usually do a good job of keeping contraband out,” she said. “The security in place for people going into and out of facilities, and the performance of staff, has greatly improved.”
The Daily News also revealed that Garret tested positive for marijuana shortly after a visit from his girlfriend last spring. She was barred from seeing him after that incident, according to court papers. Garret and co-defendant Paul Rivera, both members of the gang, were convicted of murder, sex trafficking of underage prostitutes, and drug trafficking. Rivera, the founder of Together Forever Mafia, will be sentenced on June 28, while Garret’s conviction has been vacated along with the restitution he would have to pay victims by a federal judge.
Source: nydailynews.com
