NY Prison Guard Brutality Video Released: Inmate Dies After Assault
The New York attorney General’s Office released shocking video footage Friday showing the brutal beating of a handcuffed inmate at Mercy Correctional Centre in upstate New York. The inmate, 43-year-old Robert brooks, died following the December 9th assault.
The video, compiled from body-worn cameras of four corrections officers, shows Brooks, an african-American man, being repeatedly punched and kicked while restrained. The footage, which lacks audio, depicts officers holding Brooks down while one kicks him in the lower body and another strikes him in the upper body. Other officers are seen watching without intervening. All officers involved appear to be white.
Attorney General Letitia James, whose office is investigating Brooks’ death, stated, “The images are shocking and disturbing. We are releasing this video to increase transparency and strengthen public trust.” She emphasized her commitment to providing Brooks’ family and all New Yorkers with “transparency and accountability.”
Brooks was pronounced dead at a hospital in the early hours of December 10th.Court documents filed this week, citing preliminary findings from the medical examiner, indicate that “asphyxiation due to neck compression” caused his death, resulting from “the actions of another person,” according to the New York Times. Brooks was serving a 12-year sentence for a 2017 first-degree assault conviction.
The incident occurred while Brooks was being transferred from mohawk Correctional Facility to Mercy Correctional Center. Following the video’s release, Legal Aid, a legal services organization for low-income individuals, issued a statement expressing “horror, anger, and deep sadness.” They described the assault as “a grotesque display of absolutely appalling inhumanity.”
Governor Kathy Hochul called for the dismissal of all 14 prison officers involved last week. one officer has as resigned.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about prison violence and the need for greater accountability within the correctional system. The investigation continues, and further updates are expected.
