Newly released body camera footage shows correctional officers at a New York prison repeatedly assaulting a handcuffed inmate, Robert Brooks, who later died. The video, released by New York Attorney General Letitia James, shows officers punching Brooks, hitting him with a shoe, lifting him by the neck, and dropping him on a table. Brooks was pronounced dead the day after the assault at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County, where he had been serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault. The Attorney General’s office is investigating the officers’ use of force that led to Brooks’ death.
Following the release of the footage, New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the firing of more than a dozen employees at the state’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, including correctional officers and a nurse involved in the attack. The governor expressed outrage at the “senseless killing” depicted in the videos. The shocking footage, which does not contain audio due to the officers not activating their body cameras, shows the violence inflicted on Brooks as he lay handcuffed on a medical examination table. The officers removed his shirt and pants as he lay motionless and bloodied from the beating.
Preliminary findings from Brooks’ autopsy suggest that the cause of death may have been asphyxia due to compression of the neck, as well as actions of another individual. The final autopsy results are still pending. The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, the union representing state correctional officers, condemned the officers’ actions, calling the behavior incomprehensible and not reflective of the majority of their members’ work. The Correctional Association of New York, a prison oversight group, had previously documented reports of brutality and racism at the Marcy Correctional Facility during a monitoring visit two years ago.
The attorney for Brooks’ family, Elizabeth Mazur, emphasized that the release of the videos allows the public to witness the horrific nature of the deadly attack on Robert Brooks. She stated that Brooks was fatally and violently beaten by the officers whose responsibility was to ensure his safety. The attorney called for accountability and transparency in the case and highlighted the need for all individuals within the correctional facility to feel safe. The union for state correctional officers acknowledged that the incident undermines the integrity of their profession and vowed not to condone such behavior in the future.
Jennifer Scaife, the executive director of the Correctional Association of New York, expressed shock and disgust at the footage of the assault against Brooks but noted that it was not surprising given the organization’s previous findings of brutality and racism at the Marcy Correctional Facility. Scaife called for systemic changes within the state prison system to address the issues that allow such brutality to occur. The investigation into the officers’ actions leading to Brooks’ death continues as the Attorney General’s office seeks to uncover the circumstances surrounding the fatal assault. Governor Hochul’s decision to terminate the employees involved demonstrates a commitment to accountability and justice in the wake of this tragic incident.
