On Thursday, a grand jury indicted six prison employees in New York on murder charges related to the fatal beating of an inmate who was restrained at the time.
In the early hours of December 10, a 43-year-old Black man named Robert Brooks lost his life following a brutal beating by several correctional officers at Marcy Correctional Facility, located approximately 50 miles east of Syracuse, New York. Brooks, previously serving a 12-year sentence for assault, was moved to Marcy that evening from the adjacent Mohawk Correctional Facility.
The emergence of body camera footage showing the beating, alongside his death, ignited a wave of outrage regarding the violence and brutality faced by some inmates at the hands of corrections officers.
The indictment from the grand jury reveals that the defendants faced accusations of exhibiting a shocking disregard for human life, while bystanders failed to intervene or seek urgent medical assistance for Brooks.
Six individuals, including Nicholas Anzalone, David Kingsley, Anthony Farina, Christopher Walrath, Mathew Galliher, and an unnamed correctional officer, face serious charges of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter.
According to the indictment, two individuals faced charges of second-degree gang assault, while two officers were charged with submitting a false instrument for filing. Three additional prison employees faced second-degree manslaughter charges, while another was accused of tampering with physical evidence.
A total of 10 individuals are facing charges related to the death of Brooks, as outlined in the indictment. Attorneys representing the defendants accused of murder have been contacted by CNN.
James Riotto, the attorney for Farina, has chosen not to provide any comments regarding the case at this moment.
The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision informed CNN that there is no documentation of prior disciplinary measures taken against Farina. The agency has chosen to keep information about any potential actions against Anzalone under wraps, referencing an ongoing investigation.
On Thursday afternoon, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York revealed the murder charges in an official statement.
“Robert Brooks deserves to be here with us today.” The shocking assault on Mr. Brooks was appalling, and I promptly took action to end the employment of those responsible. The statement confirms that those responsible have been justly charged with murder, and State Police are actively making arrests.
On December 9, body camera footage revealed officers striking Brooks multiple times with punches and kicks, despite his hands being restrained behind him. Footage reveals officers hitting him in the chest with a shoe, lifting him by the neck, and then dropping him, while onlookers seemed unmoved by the violent scene. Brooks passed away the next day.
The autopsy report from the Onondaga County Medical Examiner indicates that Brooks died due to “compression of the neck and multiple blunt force injuries,” with the manner of death classified as homicide, as stated by Elizabeth Mazur, an attorney representing Brooks’ family, in a prior communication with CNN.
These allegations arise roughly a month following Robert Brooks Jr.’s statement in a federal lawsuit, where he described how his father’s assailants “systematically and casually beat him to death.”
“He is gone, and there is no way to return him to us.” “There is no way to bring back what these individuals have taken from us,” he expressed in a statement after the court hearing on Thursday. “Nonetheless, these charges represent a crucial and significant move towards responsibility.”
“However, the convictions of these corrections officers for my father’s murder will still fall short,” he added. “All individuals in positions of power who permitted this cycle of harm and mistreatment to persist for an extended period must also face responsibility.”
The governor directed state officials to begin the process of terminating employees involved in the incident. Over a dozen people faced suspension without pay, and one officer resigned.
Marcy Correctional Facility has garnered a reputation over time as a location where inmates frequently faced violence, intimidation, and racism from the staff, according to insights from experts and attorneys who communicated with CNN.
A report from 2022 concerning Marcy, issued by the Correctional Association of New York, highlights several issues at the facility, including claims of “physical assaults” by staff against inmates and widespread allegations of racial discrimination.
A significant majority of inmates surveyed in the report indicated that they had experienced or witnessed verbal, physical, or sexual abuse by staff members. Inmates described facing unpredictable assaults from the staff, along with deliberate attacks used as punishment, according to the findings.
The governor has revealed the selection of a new superintendent for Marcy Correctional Facility and has fast-tracked $400 million for the installation of fixed cameras and the distribution of body-worn cameras across all Department of Corrections and Community Service facilities, following a visit to the facility after the tragic death of Brooks.
Jennifer Scaife, the executive director of the Correctional Association of New York, which serves as an independent ombudsman overseeing the state’s 42 correctional facilities, expressed to CNN her strong belief that any investigation into the prison will show that the attack on Brooks was “not an aberration.”
“There have been numerous concerning claims regarding this facility for an extended period,” she stated. “I believe what will be revealed … is a consistent pattern of violence and infringements on individuals’ human and civil rights.”