Video footage recently released by the New York State Attorney General’s office reveals a disturbing incident at Marcy Correctional Facility involving correctional officers and Robert Brooks, a 43-year-old inmate. The footage shows Brooks, handcuffed, being brutally beaten by the officers. They repeatedly punched him in the face and groin while striking him in the chest with a shoe and violently lifting and dropping him by the neck.
Brooks was found dead at a hospital the following morning. Thirteen officers and a nurse involved in the event are set to be terminated, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressing her outrage over the incident. The Attorney General’s office has also launched an investigation into the use of force during the fatal encounter, but it remains unclear if any criminal charges will be filed against the officers.
Preliminary medical examinations have identified possible asphyxia due to neck compression as contributing to Brooks’ death. The video lacks audio, as the officers failed to activate their body cameras, prompting the state Department of Corrections to mandate their use in all interactions with inmates.
Family members and legal representatives express horror and demand accountability, claiming the footage reveals systemic issues within the correctional system. Correctional oversight bodies and legal aid organizations are calling for transparency and a comprehensive examination of the correctional staff’s conduct. Brooks, who was serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault, had been transferred to Marcy Correctional Facility merely hours before the incident.
