Killing of Robert Brooks

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Killing of Robert Brooks
Body camera video of the beating
DateDecember 9–10, 2024 (2024-12-09 – 2024-12-10)
Location Marcy Correctional Facility, Town of Marcy, New York
DeathsRobert Brooks
Accused13 corrections officers, 1 nurse

On December 9, 2024, Robert Brooks, a 43-year-old black man, was beaten by multiple corrections officers in Marcy Correctional Facility in the town of Marcy, New York [1] and died from his injuries the following morning on December 10 at Wynn Hospital in Utica, New York. [2]

Contents

Body camera footage showed that Brooks was handcuffed and had a prior facial injury, and appeared to be compliant, before being fatally beaten. [1] [3] A preliminary examination described Brooks's cause of death as "asphyxia due to compression of the neck." [2] After an internal review, Governor of New York State Kathy Hochul directed the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS) to fire the 13 officers and a prison nurse who were involved in the incident. [4]

Background

Prior to the killing of Robert Brooks, Marcy Correctional Facility was the subject of numerous reports of prisoner abuse. [5] C.O. Anthony Farina and Sergeant Glenn Trombly, both implicated in the killing of Robert Brooks, were involved in the 2020 assault and disfigurement of the inmate William Alvarez. [6] In 2015, Trombly was involved in the assault of the inmate Equarn White, after which White needed a wheelchair while recovering. [6] C.O. Nicholas Anzalone, also implicated in the killing of Brooks, was one of four Marcy officers named in a federal lawsuit for the 2020 beating of Adam Bauer, a non-violent drug offender. [7]

Robert L. Brooks was a 43-year-old inmate serving a 12-year sentence since 2017 for first-degree assault in the stabbing of his ex-girlfriend. [1] [8] He was a musician who completed a GED while incarcerated. [9]

Incident

On December 9, Brooks was transferred from Mohawk Correctional Facility to Marcy Correctional Facility to be brought to a medical examination room and sat on an examination table while handcuffed. [2] The right side of Brooks's face was bleeding. [10] An officer then forced a white object in Brooks's mouth and another officer held his throat. Multiple officers then started striking the restrained Brooks in his face, torso, groin, and buttocks. Several officers stood in the room as passive bystanders. Two officers then lifted Brooks by his shirt in an attempt to throw him out of a nearby window, who was then unresponsive. [1] The motionless Brooks was then placed on the examination table, where an officer conducted a sternal rub. [1]

A preliminary examination named the cause of death as "asphyxia due to compression of the neck," [2] from the beating. [1]

Identified officers involved in the incident include C.O. Anthony Farina, [10] [11] [6] Sergeant Glenn Trombly, [10] [6] C.O. Nicholas Anzalone, [6] [10] C.O. Matthew Galliher, [10] Sergeant Michael Marshaw, [10] C.O. Christopher Walters, [10] C.O. Nicholas Kieffer, [10] and C.O.s Along, Walrath, and Kessler. [10]

Aftermath

The beating received widespread condemnation. NYSDOCCS commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III made a statement that “It is not enough to simply condemn this horrific act and then go back to business,” emphasizing that his department now audits body cameras to ensure they remain activated at correctional facilites. [1] NYSDOCCS declined to comment when it was revealed that at least three officers involved in the beating of Brooks (Anzalone, Trombly, and Farina) had documented prior histories of violence and abuse against prisoners. [6]

On December 21, New York governor Kathy Hochul ordered for the firing of 13 officers and 1 nurse involved in the incident following an internal review. [12] The NYSCOPBA police union representing the involved officers called the events "a disgrace to their profession." [9] On December 28, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced that the FBI Albany Field Office was investigating the killing of Brooks. [13] As the office of the Attorney General of New York represents state employees facing legal action related to their jobs, lawyers from Attorney General Letitia James's office were assigned to four of the officers involved; consequently, James announced that she would recuse herself from the investigation. Onondaga County District Attorney William J. Fitzpatrick was appointed to serve as special counsel in James's place. [14]

Body camera footage of the incident was made public on December 27. The recorded bodycam footage has video but no audio as the 4 officers who wore bodycams during the incident had them powered on but not activated so the footage was recorded in the bodycam's stand-by mode where it does not record sound. [1] [15]

State lawmakers have responded with various proposals for reform, such as enlarging the New York State Commission of Correction and appointing an independent investigator. Closing the facility has also been proposed. [16]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sottile, Zoe (December 27, 2024). "New York attorney general releases 'shocking and disturbing' videos of inmate's fatal beating". CNN. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Debusmann Jr, Bernd (December 27, 2024). "Footage shows NY officers beating prisoner Robert Brooks before death". BBC. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  3. ↑ Russell, Emily (December 27, 2024). "Body camera footage shows fatal beating by prison staff of inmate in Utica". NCPR. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Statement From Governor Kathy Hochul | Governor Kathy Hochul". www.governor.ny.gov. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  5. ↑ "CANY Releases Report on Marcy Correctional Facility". Correctional Association of New York. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ransom, Jan (December 28, 2024). "Guards in Fatal Prison Assault Were Accused of Beating Inmates Before". The New York Times. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  7. ↑ Wight, Conor (December 30, 2024). "Marcy corrections officers involved in pattern of abuse and violence, lawsuits show". WSTM. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Man sentenced to 12 years in prison for stabbing girlfriend". WHAM. February 10, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  9. 1 2 Marrocco, Bonnie (December 28, 2024). "'Completely inexplicable': Family attorney reacts to body cam video of Robert Brooks' beating death in prison". WHEC.com. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Supardi, Briana (December 26, 2024). "Court documents describe horrific beating of inmate at Marcy Correctional Facility". WRGB. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  11. ↑ Lyons, Brendan (December 20, 2024). "Prison officers identified in deadly beating of inmate will be fired". Times Union. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  12. ↑ Marcelo, Philip (December 21, 2024). "New York's governor orders firing of prison staffers involved in inmate's fatal beating". AP News. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  13. ↑ Ventura, Juliann (December 28, 2024). "FBI investigating killing of inmate after assault by correctional officers". The Hill. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  14. ↑ Shanahan, Ed; Ransom, Jan (January 2, 2025). "N.Y. Attorney General Recuses Herself in Case of Fatal Prison Beating" . The New York Times . Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  15. ↑ Lewis, Zach (December 27, 2024). "Body-Worn Camera Footage of Inmate Assault at Marcy Correctional Facility Released". WKTV NewsChannel2. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  16. ↑ Han, Jeongyoon (January 24, 2025). "State lawmakers call for prison reform after death of inmate". WRVO Public Media. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
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