A newly released video shows that New York prison guards repeatedly punched a handcuffed inmate, hit him with a shoe, lifted him by the neck, and then dropped him before he died. It became clear.
New York Attorney General Letitia James on Friday released body camera footage of the Dec. 9 assault on Robert Brooks, 43, who died the morning after the incident.
The attorney general's office is investigating the officers' use of force that led to Brooks' death.
Brooks was pronounced dead at a hospital the day after the assault at Mercy Correctional Facility, a state prison in Oneida County.
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Body camera footage shows correctional officers beating handcuffed Robert Brooks, 43, at Mercy Correctional Facility in Oneida County, New York, on December 9, 2024. (New York State Attorney General's Office, via Associated Press)
He had been in prison since 2017, serving a 12-year sentence. first degree assault. Brooks had been transferred from a nearby state prison and arrived at Mercy Correctional Facility just hours before the assault.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul (Democratic) ordered the firing of more than a dozen employees of the state's Department of Corrections and Community Supervision involved in the attack, including correctional officers and nurses. The governor said he was “outraged and horrified” after seeing the video of the “senseless murder.”
The video shows a correctional officer repeatedly punching Brooks in the face and groin as he sits handcuffed on an examination table.
One officer is seen hitting Brooks in the stomach with his shoe, and another officer is seen grabbing Brooks by the neck and lifting him back onto the table. The officers then removed Brooks' shirt and pants, but he was left lying motionless, beaten and bleeding.
“These videos are shocking and disturbing and we advise everyone to do their own due diligence before viewing them,” Mr James said.
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New York State Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference in New York, September 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Britteny Newman, File)
The final results of Mr. Brooks' autopsy are not yet known.
Preliminary findings from the medical examination indicate that “there is concern that the cause of death was asphyxia due to neck compression, and there is concern that death may have been caused by the actions of another person.”
The video does not include audio because the officer wearing a body camera did not activate the camera. In response to the assault, the Department of Corrections issued a directive requiring staff to use body cameras during every interaction between inmates and staff.
Elizabeth Mazur, an attorney for Brooks' family, said the release of the video means “the public can see for themselves the horrific and extreme nature of the deadly attack on Robert L. Brooks.” Then he said.
“As viewers saw, Mr. Brooks was fatally and violently beaten by a group of officers whose job it was to keep him safe,” Mazur said. “He deserves to live, and other people living at Mercy Correctional Facility deserve to know that they don't have to live in fear of violence by prison staff.”
The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, the union for state correctional officers, said in a statement that what was observed in the video was “incomprehensible, to say the least, and clearly reflects the great work of the vast majority of police officers.” It's not something I did.” Our members are active every day. ”
Robert Brooks, 43, was pronounced dead at a hospital the day after the assault at Mercy Correctional Facility. (St. Petersburg)
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“This incident not only puts all of our members at risk, but also undermines the integrity of our profession,” the union said in a statement. “We cannot and will not tolerate this behavior.”
The New York Correctional Association, a prison watchdog group, said it documented reports of brutality and racism during an oversight visit to Mercy Correctional Facility two years ago.
The group's executive director, Jennifer Scaife, said the footage of the assault on Brooks was “sickening and horrifying, but not surprising given the findings to date,” adding that the state prison system “is We need to address the systemic issues that enable these atrocities.” Thrive. ”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
