 "The shocking case of New York inmate who was 'brutally' beaten to death by prison guards")
In a harrowing incident that has sent shockwaves throughout the United States, a 43-year-old inmate named Robert Brooks was brutally assaulted and beaten to death by prison guards at New York’s Marcy Correctional Facility.
Disturbing body camera footage released on Friday shows correctional officers repeatedly assaulting the handcuffed inmate until he lay completely motionless and bloodied. Brooks tragically succumbed to his injuries the following day.
Reacting to the incident, New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her outrage and called the attack a “senseless killing.” She has ordered a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind the tragedy.
Here’s what we know so far about the case.
(Please note the report contains details that readers may find distressing)
What happened?
Footage released by New York Attorney General Letitia James reveals a harrowing series of events involving the brutal treatment of Robert Brooks while he was handcuffed and seated on a medical examination table.
James, who is leading the investigation, stated that releasing the videos was necessary to ensure “transparency and accountability” in the wake of Brooks’ tragic death.
The viral video shows officers striking the inmate in the face and groin, with one officer using a shoe to hit him in the stomach. Another officer is seen lifting Brooks by the neck and dropping him back onto the table, even though he does not appear to resist or pose any threat.
As per The Guardian report citing court records, Brooks was being restrained by multiple officers, one officer punched him three times in the buttocks and stomped on his groin.
In another clip, two officers pull Brooks to a seated position on the exam table, his face visibly bloodied, before one strikes him in the chest with a closed fist.
The footage, which lacks audio as the officers did not activate their body cameras, also shows an officer placing an unidentified object in Brooks’ mouth before hitting him again as others watched.
Two male nurses are also seen standing in the hallway, occasionally peering into the room as the assault continues. Toward the end of the videos, they are called into the room to check Brooks’ vital signs.
While the final autopsy results are pending, a medical examiner has preliminarily determined that Brooks, who suffered fractures and severe injuries, may have died as a result of “asphyxia due to compression of the neck.”
‘A grotesque display of inhumanity’
Following the release of the disturbing footage, New York Governor Kathy Hochul directed the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to initiate the termination of 14 workers from Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County, including correctional officers, sergeants and a prison nurse.
“We have no tolerance for individuals who cross the line, break the law, and engage in unnecessary violence or targeted abuse,” Hochul stated, emphasising that such actions would not be condoned in New York.
Daniel Martuscello, the state corrections commissioner, also announced that his department has launched an internal investigation in an effort to bring “institutional change.”
The Correctional Association of New York, an independent prison oversight organisation, had flagged serious issues at Marcy Correctional Facility in a report last year.
The report detailed “rampant” physical abuse by staff, with 80 per cent of incarcerated individuals reporting they had witnessed or experienced abuse and nearly 70 per cent alleging racial discrimination or bias.
The organisation’s executive director, Jennifer Scaife, said the footage of Brooks being assaulted “is sickening and appalling, but not surprising” given its previous findings. She called on the state prison system to “address the systemic issues that allow such brutality to flourish.”
Tina Luongo, a chief attorney at The Legal Aid Society in New York City, called for “complete transparency” regarding the use of force by state correctional staff and demanded a “full accounting of this tragedy.”
“Like everyone who has seen this video, we are horrified, angered, and deeply saddened,” Luongo said, describing the assault on Brooks as “a grotesque display of inhumanity that is utterly appalling.”
Brooks, who was serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault, had been transferred to Marcy from the nearby Mohawk Correctional Facility on the same day the incident occurred.
Brooks’ family vows to seek justice
The release of the footage has left Robert Brooks’ family heartbroken, and they have expressed their deep outrage and sorrow over what they witnessed.
In a statement, the family described the video as “devastating” and shared the painful impact of seeing the “horrific and violent final moments” of Brooks’ life. They have vowed to pursue justice, declaring, “We will not rest until we have secured justice for Robert’s memory.”
They added, “We cannot understand how this could have happened in the first place. No one should have to lose a family member this way.”
Elizabeth Mazur, the lawyer representing Brooks’ family, also spoke out, saying, “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.”
With input from agencies
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