Death of New York man beaten by corrections officers sparks outrage and protests

Nick Schifrin:

There is growing outrage today over the death of an inmate in a New York state prison who was brutally beaten by more than a dozen correction officers.

Detainee advocates are concerned it's part of a larger culture of violence within the state's correctional system.

Laura Barron-Lopez has our look.

And a warning to our viewers: The video, which we will show only in part, is very disturbing.

Laura Barron-Lopez:

Bodycam footage shows Robert Brooks repeatedly kicked, punched and choked after arriving at the Marcy Correctional Facility on December 9.

Brooks had been serving a 12-year sentence for an assault in 2017. It is unclear why he was transferred to the Central New York prison. At one point, one officer yanks him by the neck and drops his semiconscious body on an examination table. The beating lasted roughly 20 minutes.

Brooks died the following morning. In a statement, an attorney for the Brooks family said: "Mr. Brooks was fatally, violently beaten by a group of officers whose job was to keep him safe. He deserved to live."

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has requested the termination of 13 guards and one nurse implicated in the assault. After visiting the facility where Brooks was beaten, Governor Hochul released a statement yesterday, saying, in part: "The system failed Mr. Brooks, and I will not be satisfied until there has been significant culture change."

In the aftermath of Brooks' death, community leaders and activists are calling for justice and reform.

Protester:

What do we want?

Protesters:

Justice!

La-Meik Taylor, Protester:

Just because individuals are incarcerated doesn't mean that they give up their rights to be human beings.

Laura Barron-Lopez:

A 2023 investigation by The Marshall Project and The New York Times found that, from 2010 to 2022, New York's Department of Corrections filed 5,642 disciplinary cases against prison staff, but only succeeded in firing 28 officers.

Three of the guards involved in the assault against Brooks were previously accused of beating inmates in a similar manner. As of today, none of the 14 employees implicated have been charged with wrongdoing.

But New York state Attorney General Letitia James promised a full investigation.

Letitia James, New York Attorney General:

I have a responsibility and duty to provide the Brooks family, their loved ones, and all New Yorkers with transparency and accountability.

Laura Barron-Lopez:

Authorities have not released an official cause of death for Brooks, but, according to court documents, the medical examiner's preliminary findings show — quote — "concern for asphyxia due to compression of the neck."

Robert Brooks was 43 years old.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Laura Barron-Lopez.