Robert Brooks, the man fatally beaten in a New York prison earlier this month, was repeatedly punched by correction officers while handcuffed, struck in the chest with a shoe, and lifted by the neck before being dropped, according to body-worn camera footage released Friday by the state’s attorney general.
The footage, made public by New York Attorney General Letitia James, shows correction officers punching Brooks in the face and groin while he was restrained on a medical table.
Here’s what we know so far about the incident that has sparked outrage:
The incident
- The assault occurred on December 10, 2024.
- Footage from officers’ body cameras shows Brooks being beaten in the groin and chest. At one point, he was choked and violently restrained on an infirmary table.
- Brooks was later seen motionless, bleeding, and stripped to his undergarments. Medical staff nearby did not intervene.
- He was declared dead shortly after being transported to a hospital in Utica, NYT reported.
Also read: Who was Robert Brooks?
The investigation
- Attorney General Letitia James called the video “shocking and disturbing” and has launched an investigation, which may lead to criminal charges against the officers involved.
- The Onondaga County medical examiner’s office is conducting an autopsy, with preliminary findings pointing to asphyxia as the cause of death, NYT reported.
- Governor
Kathy Hochul has directed the termination process for 14 prison employees, including 13 officers and a nurse, implicated in the assault.
The video
- Eight body-camera videos, released to the public, show Brooks being beaten and dragged, NYT reported.
- The footage lacks audio, as the officers did not activate sound recording.
- The violent actions appeared unprovoked, and no officer in the room intervened to stop the assault.
Reactions
- Brooks’s family described the videos as “horrific” and “devastating.” Their attorney said, “Robert deserved to live, and no one should face such violence in a correctional facility.”
- The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association condemned the incident but vowed to represent its members.
- The Marcy facility, with a majority-Black and Hispanic inmate population and predominantly white staff, has faced past accusations of racial bias and abuse.
Background
- Brooks, 43, was serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault.
- He had been transferred to
Marcy Correctional Facility on the day of the incident. - Investigations by watchdog groups have previously highlighted racial bias and systemic abuse within New York’s prison system, including at Marcy.
This case has drawn national attention, raising urgent questions about accountability, systemic racism, and brutality in correctional facilities. More updates are expected as investigations continue.