Lawsuit Filed Following Inmate's Death from Alleged Beating by New York Guards

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In a shocking case, the son of a New York inmate has filed a federal lawsuit against more than a dozen prison guards and state officials following the death of his father, Robert L. Brooks Sr., 43. Brooks died on December 10, 2024, one day after a brutal beating at the Marcy Correctional Facility.

According to the lawsuit, which describes the beating as “systematic” and “casual,” body camera footage reveals several correction officers torturing a restrained Brooks, who was reported to be struggling to maintain consciousness. The footage allegedly shows officers using excessive force, striking Brooks while he was handcuffed and dropping him by the neck.

The suit focuses on claims of wrongful death, excessive force, and gross negligence, implicating the guards directly involved in the assault, the former head of the facility, and the commissioner of the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Brooks Jr. expressed his determination to ensure that his father's name is remembered and to prompt necessary reforms within the correctional system.

In response to the incident, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has ordered the suspension of fifteen officers and two nurses without pay and initiated proceedings for their termination, while a special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate the circumstances surrounding Brooks' death.

The family’s attorney states that this incident may represent only a fraction of ongoing issues of abuse within New York's correctional facilities, highlighting concerns raised by a watchdog group regarding prior reports of rampant violence by staff at Marcy.

The investigation is ongoing, and the findings of Brooks' autopsy may shed further light on the cause of death, with preliminary evidence suggesting it may be related to asphyxia caused by compression of the neck.

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