New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that prison workers are being arrested on murder charges in connection with the death of inmate Robert Brooks, who was brutally beaten while handcuffed at Marcy Correctional Facility in December. The incident, captured on body cameras, sparked outrage and demands for justice.
The body camera footage shows multiple officers assaulting Brooks, who had his hands cuffed behind his back. The officers struck him with a shoe, lifted him by the neck, and dropped him. Despite the disturbing nature of the video, the guards involved appeared unconcerned. Brooks, aged 43, passed away the following day.
An autopsy report revealed that Brooks' death was caused by compression of the neck and multiple blunt impact injuries, leading to the determination of homicide. Governor Hochul swiftly moved to terminate the employment of those involved and has ordered the dismissal of more than a dozen employees implicated in the attack.
Brooks, who had been serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault since 2017, had just been transferred to Marcy Correctional Facility from another nearby prison hours before the fatal beating.
Brooks' son, Robert Brooks Jr., filed a federal lawsuit alleging that his father was systematically beaten to death by his attackers and criticized the prison system for tolerating violence. Prior to this incident, the medium-security prison had faced accusations of staff abusing incarcerated individuals.
Special prosecutor Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, who took over the case, is expected to detail the charges against the accused officers. The State Police have begun making arrests in connection with the murder charges.
These developments come after a watchdog group reported widespread abuse by staff at Marcy Correctional Facility, with accounts of physical assaults in areas without surveillance cameras. The Correctional Association of New York highlighted instances of violence occurring between gates, in vans, and in showers, indicating a troubling pattern of misconduct within the facility.
