Kalief Browder (May 25, 1993 – June 6, 2015) was an African American youth from The Bronx, New York, who was held at the Rikers Island jail complex, without trial, between 2010 and 2013 for allegedly stealing a backpack containing valuables.

His case has been cited by activists campaigning for reform of the New York City criminal justice system and has attracted widespread attention in the years following his death.

[1] At birth, Browder was placed into the care of Child Protective Services due to his mother's drug addiction.

[6][4] On May 15, 2010, police apprehended Browder and a friend on Arthur Avenue near East 186th Street, in the Belmont section of the Bronx.

[6] Police officers were responding to a 9-1-1 call placed by Roberto Bautista about the theft of a backpack, containing a camera, $700, a credit card, and an iPod Touch.

In July 2010, seventy-four days after his arrest, Browder was brought before a judge at Bronx County Hall of Justice.

O'Meara said Browder was "quiet, respectful, he wasn't rude", but he appeared "tougher and bigger" over time.

[6] Browder told O'Meara that he wanted to go to trial; he was offered a plea bargain of 3.5 years in prison if he pleaded guilty.

She offered Browder a plea bargain of immediate release for his admission of guilt to two misdemeanors with consideration of time already served.

After trying and failing to contact his brother, they advised DiMango that they were no longer in a position to go to trial and sought to dismiss the case.

[12] He participated in the City University of New York's "Future Now" program, which offered a college education to previously incarcerated youths.

[14] On May 11, 2015, Browder submitted a paper titled "A Closer Look at Solitary Confinement in the United States", for which he received an "A" grade.

[11][12] On another occasion, after an appearance before a judge, Browder made a sharp implement from the bucket in his cell and started to slit his wrists.

[11] On June 11, 2015, mourners mounted a three-hour vigil near Manhattan Detention Center and chanted "Justice for Kalief".

[19] On June 27, 2015, an event on Rikers Island was organized through Facebook under the banner, "March to shut down Rikers—Justice for Kalief Browder!

At the event, protesters held signs bearing the slogan "Black Lives Matter" and photographs and paintings of Browder.

[20] On August 10, 2015, the anniversary of the shooting death of Michael Brown, fifty peaceful protesters led by Kalief's brother Akeem Browder gathered at the Bronx Supreme Court and chanted "Black Lives Matter".

Prestia said, "In my opinion, she literally died of a broken heart" because the "stress from this crusade coupled with the strain of the pending lawsuits against the city and the pain from the death were too much for her to bear".

[1] Nobody from the Bronx DA's office was held personally accountable for keeping Browder incarcerated for three years without a trial or a conviction.

See, for example, Gonnerman, "Before the Law", The New Yorker, October 6, 2014, p. 26 (detailing the multiyear solitary confinement of Kalief Browder, who was held—but never tried—for stealing a backpack); Schwirtz and Winerip, "Man held at Rikers for 3 years without trial, kills himself" New York Times, June 9, 2015, p. A18 ...

These are but a few examples of the expert scholarship that, along with continued attention from the legal community, no doubt will aid in the consideration of the many issues solitary confinement presents.

3155, "The Effective and Humane Treatment of Youth Act of 2015" or "Kalief's Law", named in honor of Browder.

[28] It entered the introductory phase of lawmaking and was referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, but it ultimately did not become law.

[29] On January 25, 2016, President Barack Obama signed an executive order to ban the solitary confinement of juveniles in federal prisons.

[30] Obama wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post, in which he cited Browder's case, writing, "In 2013, Kalief was released, having never stood trial ...

"[32] Mayor Bill de Blasio said, "Today's announcement shows that New York City is leading the nation down a new path toward rehabilitation and safety.

[36][37] On April 10, 2017, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the "Raise the Age" initiative that would send most cases involving 16- and 17-year-old defendants to the Family Court or be reviewed by judges with special training in social services.

Browder said his appearance on the show was a "good opportunity to get [his] voice heard" and that it was difficult to speak about his experience in prison.

[11] Ava DuVernay's 2016 Oscar-nominated documentary 13th, about race and mass incarceration, includes video interviews with Browder.

The list of things that went wrong in his case begins with his first encounter with the NYPD, whose practice of targeting black teens is well documented.