Warning: This article contains graphic images of violence and injury which some readers may find distressing
On December 10, Robert Brooks, 43, died while incarcerated at Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County, New York.
Body-camera footage released on December 27 displays several correctional officers attacking Brooks as he is handcuffed and seated on a medical examination table.
The body camera footage, from multiple devices, shows officers physically assaulting Brooks, who was restrained with his hands behind his back. However, four other body cameras did not record audio as they were not activated during the incident.
In the footage, an officer is seen placing material in Brooks’ mouth, another strikes him in the face, and one uses a shoe to hit him.
Although Brooks’ final autopsy results are still pending, preliminary findings from medical examiners have been disclosed through court documents.
The documents cite concerns for asphyxia due to neck compression as a suspected cause of death and the death being attributed to the actions of another, according to the Associated Press.
The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) had earlier announced it was probing Brooks’ death.
New York Attorney General Letitia James expressed her reaction to Brooks’ death, labeling the videos as ‘shocking and disturbing’.
On December 21, Governor Hochul issued a statement online, stating she had instructed DOCCS Commissioner Martuscello to start the termination process for 14 individuals involved in the fatal incident at Marcy Correctional Facility.
While recognizing that the majority of correction officers perform commendable work under challenging conditions and expressing gratitude for their service, Governor Hochul emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for those who violate the law and engage in needless violence or abuse.
She reaffirmed her commitment to holding all involved accountable and extended her condolences to Brooks’ family and loved ones.
Elizabeth Mazur, the attorney for Brooks’ family, also released a statement.
Her statement reads: “Members of the public can now view for themselves the horrific and extreme nature of the deadly attack on Robert L. Brooks. As viewers can see, Mr. Brooks was fatally, violently beaten by a group of officers whose job was to keep him safe. He deserved to live, and everyone else living in Marcy Correctional Facility deserves to know they do not have to live in fear of violence at the hands of prison staff.”
The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, representing state correctional officers, issued a statement saying: “What we witnessed is incomprehensible to say the least and is certainly not reflective of the great work that the vast majority of our membership conducts every day.
“This incident not only endangers our entire membership but undermines the integrity of our profession. We cannot and will not condone this behavior.”
UNILAD has reached out to the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association for further comments.
David Condliffe, executive director of the non-profit Center for Community Alternatives, argued that the footage isn’t necessary to understand its implications.
Condliffe remarked that the footage highlights “generations of encouraged, calculated cruelty and abuse of power that fester and metastasize behind the blue wall of silence.”
He concluded: “For every instance caught on camera, countless more acts of violence and murder in prisons are ignored, justified, or covered up. Accountability must include, but cannot stop with, the firing of a few individuals. Their violence is not an anomaly; it is the product of a system steeped in impunity.”
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.
