Five prison guards face murder charges in connection to the December beating death of Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility. One guard faces an additional charge of first-degree manslaughter. Onondaga County District Attorney and special prosecutor for the case Bill Fitzpatrick said a grand jury investigation revealed Brooks was beaten on two prior occasions within minutes of arriving at Marcy.
“There was no provocation by Robert Brooks that would have precipitated any physical response whatsoever," Fitzpatrick said. "I think any sentient human being looking at the tapes naturally comes to the conclusion that he must have said something he must have spit at the officers, he must have resisted in some way, and the fact of the matter is he did absolutely nothing.”
Fitzpatrick said the third and fatal beating was caught on video in the emergency room of the infirmary and made public by the state attorney general. Brooks’ son, Robert Brooks, Jr. says it’s been a long, painful wait for the indictments, which he says are a step toward accountability.
“These men murdered my father. These men need to be prosecuted and convicted of the crimes they made. Any person with authority who allows abuse and violence to go on for so long also needs to be held accountable. And I pledge, and my family pledges to not stop until we see change how our state prisons are operated.”
The indicted prison guards are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Department of Corrections Deputy Commissioner Darren Miller said the indictment of the guards is an important step toward justice, and that their behavior can’t be normalized in the prison system. He said work has already begun on system-wide changes to improve transparency and accountability.
“This includes expansion of the body worn and fixed camera systems across all of our facilities," Miller said "Improved training and the expansion of our investigative, analytical and medical capabilities. We are also undergoing an independent cultural review and we are working closely with Governor Hochul and our unions to address the ongoing staffing crisis.
Officers have walked off the job at two-dozen state prisons citing unsafe work conditions, partly due to a staffing shortage. They’re also calling for better pay and pensions. Meanwhile, inmates and advocates say the work stoppages are distracting from the bigger conversation about officer violence against inmates.
