Six correctional officers from a New York prison have been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the fatal beating of a handcuffed inmate, while four additional officers are facing lesser charges.
The December incident at Marcy Correctional Facility, which resulted in the death of 43-year-old Robert Brooks, was captured on body-camera footage. The footage has sparked widespread outrage and demands for justice.
Governor Kathy Hochul formally announced the murder charges on Thursday, stating:
“Robert Brooks should be alive today. The brutal attack on Mr. Brooks was sickening, and I immediately moved to terminate the employment of those involved. Now, the perpetrators have been rightfully charged with murder and State Police are making arrests.”
Several of the correctional officers appeared in a Utica courtroom in handcuffs, where a judge considered their pleas and set bond conditions. Special Prosecutor William Fitzpatrick, the Onondaga County District Attorney, presented the charges in court. He had previously refrained from making public comments on the case, awaiting the grand jury’s decision.
The body-camera footage reportedly shows Brooks being repeatedly struck while his hands were restrained behind his back. Officers allegedly hit him in the chest with a shoe, lifted him by the neck, and then dropped him. The video, recorded on the night of December 9, lacks audio, but the correctional staff involved—or observing—appear indifferent to the brutality. Brooks succumbed to his injuries the following day.
A January autopsy report from the county medical examiner’s office determined that Brooks died from compression of the neck and multiple blunt force injuries, ruling his death a homicide, as confirmed by attorneys representing his family.
Hochul’s announcement coincided with a wildcat strike, where numerous corrections officers refused to report for duty across 36 state prison facilities, according to prison officials. In her statement, Hochul acknowledged broader issues in the correctional system, saying:
“This incident is a sobering reminder of the challenges facing our correctional system. I’ve worked with Commissioner Martuscello on safety reforms, including installing new security cameras, strengthening the Office of Special Investigations and increasing compensation for our hard-working correction officers.”
In response to the attack, Hochul directed state officials to begin termination proceedings for more than a dozen staff members involved.
At the time of the assault, Brooks had been serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault since 2017. He had arrived at Marcy Correctional Facility—located roughly 200 miles northwest of New York City—just hours before the violent encounter, having been transferred from another prison, officials reported.
His son, Robert Brooks Jr., has since filed a federal lawsuit, alleging that the officers responsible “systematically and casually beat him to death” and that the prison system fosters a culture of violence.
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Prior to Brooks’ death, Marcy Correctional Facility had already faced allegations of excessive force by staff against inmates. Fitzpatrick was appointed as a special prosecutor after state Attorney General Letitia James recused herself, citing a conflict of interest due to her office’s representation of some of the accused officers in unrelated civil cases. These individuals had been previously accused of either participating in or allowing assaults on inmates to continue.
Jennifer Scaife, executive director of the Correctional Association of New York, emphasized the significance of the video evidence in securing charges, stating:
“It’s fortunate that video evidence of a callous murder made it possible for charges to be brought against these officers. For far too long, that evidence has not existed, making transparency and accountability out of reach.”
A 2022 report from the Correctional Association of New York highlighted systemic abuse at Marcy, based on interviews with incarcerated individuals. The report detailed instances of physical assaults occurring in areas without surveillance cameras, such as in transport vans, between gates, and in showers. According to the findings, a prison guard reportedly told one inmate upon arrival: “This is a ‘hands-on facility,’ we’re going to put hands on you if we don’t like what you’re doing.”
The case continues to unfold as officials push for accountability within the state’s correctional system.
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