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A grand jury in Oneida County indicted 10 officers who had been filmed fatally beating a 43-year-old inmate whereas handcuffed inside a New York jail.
Robert Brooks died on December 10, at some point after correction officers hit him on the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County. They had been accused of eight counts, together with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, gang assault and tampering with bodily proof.
Nicholas Anzalone, David Kingsley, Anthony Farina, Christopher Walrath, Matthew Galliger, Michael Mashaw, Michael Fisher, David Walters, Nicholas Gentile had been named within the indictment. One extra particular person’s title was sealed.
Six had been charged with homicide: Anzalone, Kingsley, Farina, Walrath, Galliher, and the unidentified defendant.
Brooks was midway by a 12-year jail sentence after being convicted of first-degree assault, in accordance with Division of Corrections information. His sentence started in 2017.
He was transferred on December 9 from Mohawk Correctional Facility to the Marcy Correctional Facility, the place he was taken to a medical examination room. That’s the place video footage captured the brutal assault going down — all whereas Brooks was handcuffed along with his palms behind his again, the legal professional basic’s workplace mentioned.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul introduced the homicide fees Thursday afternoon. “Robert Brooks must be alive right this moment. The brutal assault on Mr. Brooks was sickening, and I instantly moved to terminate the employment of these concerned. Now, the perpetrators have been rightfully charged with homicide and State Police are making arrests,” she mentioned in an announcement.
On December 21, New York Legal professional Common Letitia James launched the bodycam footage and launched an investigation into the incident, which she referred to as “surprising and disturbing.”
The footage captures officers punching, kicking and choking Brooks as he’s mendacity on a medical examination desk along with his arms behind his again. He’s pushed round like a ragdoll, the movies present. At one level, Brooks sits up and his bloodied face is seen.
In a single video, an officer is seen stuffing a white materials in Brooks’ mouth earlier than punching him within the face whereas a second punches him within the groin and a 3rd seems to have his hand pressed to the inmate’s throat. This officer then hoists Brooks as much as a seated place by his neck as one other officer hits the inmate with a shoe.
“I don’t take frivolously the discharge of this video, particularly in the course of the vacation season,” James mentioned. “However as Legal professional Common, I launch these movies as a result of I’ve a duty and responsibility to offer the household, family members and all New Yorkers with transparency and accountability.” She added: “My deepest condolences exit to Mr Brooks’ household.”
The discharge of the footage sparked widespread outrage. Demonstrations cropped up throughout the state and advocates renewed requires justice reform.
In whole, 17 workers, together with 4 sergeants and two nurses, who had been allegedly linked to the lethal assault. One resigned and the others had been suspended.
Farina and Anzalone were previously named in federal lawsuits accusing them of attacking inmates; one inmate was left disfigured and the opposite was left in a wheelchair.
Final month, Brooks’ household sued New York state for negligence, wrongful demise, and different fees. The swimsuit alleges the officers “systematically and casually beat him to demise.”
“I need the title Robert L. Brooks to be identified endlessly and never only for his final ultimate moments,” Brooks’ son mentioned at a information convention in January.
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