An investigation has been launched into the death of Robert Brooks.
The death of an inmate at the hands of a correctional officer at an upstate New York prison has sparked calls for systemic change. FOX 5 NY’s Lisa Evers takes a closer look at life behind bars and what needs to be done to prevent another tragedy from happening.
new york – Multiple states, the FBI, and the Department of Justice are investigating the disturbing beating of inmate Robert Brooks by a New York correctional officer.
Questions are now being raised about whether Brooks’ death was an isolated incident or a symptom of broader systemic problems.
What does the investigation include?
What they say:
Elizabeth Mazur, the Brooks family’s attorney, said: fox 5 new york The family is reportedly pursuing a federal wrongful death civil rights lawsuit.
“Seeing these images raises the question, is this potentially not uncommon? So I think that’s something we really want to know as part of the litigation,” Mazur said. said.
Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martucello said the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision will implement “systemic reforms.” Misonne, a civil rights activist and hip-hop artist, said reform is desperately needed.
“I know people who have been beaten because they are in prison, and I know people who have actually lost their lives in those situations, so I’m glad to be able to see this footage. Because people will realize that it was actually happening,” Misonne said. .
What happened to Robert Brooks?
Back story:
Robert L. Brooks Sr., 43, died on December 10, the day after he was assaulted at Mercy Correctional Facility in upstate New York. According to the complaint, body camera footage shows “several large white law enforcement officers torturing a bloodied black man who was restrained, helpless, and struggling to remain conscious.” , the assault lasted about 10 minutes. Officers hit the handcuffed Mr. Brooks in the chest with their shoes, then lifted him by the neck and dropped him, while employees watched on, seemingly unconcerned.
His son, Robert L. Brooks Jr., has sued a group of more than a dozen guards involved in the attack, as well as the then-director of the upstate facility and the director of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
The New York State Prison Officers and Police Benevolent Association called the video “incomprehensible to say the least” and “clearly does not reflect the great work that the majority of our members do every day.” .
More than a dozen police officers and nurses were immediately suspended, pending other disciplinary action.
Violence behind prison walls
In terms of numbers:
Even before Brooks’ death, concerns were growing about violence behind prison walls.
DOCCS reported 1,043 incidents of assault against prison staff in 2019, but that number more than doubled to 2,514 by the end of 2024.
Assaults on prisoners tripled from 1,267 in 2019 to 3,759 in 2024.
During the same period, the number of correctional officers decreased each year. Leo Corby, a former New York corrections sergeant, said an already difficult challenge is made worse by staffing shortages.
Why you should care:
“People commit crimes on the streets and then end up in state prison. We have to deal with people like that on a daily basis. So if they’re committing crimes on the streets. , it’s a prison crime,” Corby said. .
The biggest concern for both officers and inmates is safety.
Bryce Peterson, an adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and senior fellow at CNA, said technologies such as body-worn cameras, weapons and drug detection systems could play a role in enhancing that. , the issue of use of force remains the biggest concern.
“I think the biggest concern is that we don’t know much about it, so we don’t know how often use of force is occurring. That information isn’t public and isn’t provided. No,” Peterson said.
source: This article uses local reporting by FOX 5 NY’s Lisa Evers and reporting from The Associated Press.
