Shocking Footage Shows Prison Officers Assault Handcuffed Man Before Death
Disturbing video reveals prison guards beating a restrained inmate, leading to his tragic death the following day
New York, Robert Brooks, Marcy Correctional Facility, Kathy Hochul, Asphyxia
New York: A shocking incident unfolded at Marcy Correctional Facility. Footage has surfaced showing prison guards brutally beating a handcuffed man, Robert Brooks, just a day before he died.
Brooks, 43, was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead the morning after the assault. The video, released on Friday, shows officers punching him while he’s restrained on a medical table.
One guard even used a shoe to hit him in the stomach, while another yanked him by the neck. It’s hard to watch, and many are understandably outraged.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her horror at the footage. She announced that all thirteen officers involved, along with a nurse, would be fired.
The autopsy results for Brooks are still pending, but preliminary findings suggest he may have died from asphyxia due to neck compression, likely caused by the officers’ actions.
Elizabeth Mazur, the family’s lawyer, emphasized the brutality of the attack, stating that the public can now see how horrific it was. She believes Brooks deserved better treatment while in custody.
She also pointed out that everyone in the facility should feel safe and not live in fear of violence from staff.
The union representing correctional officers condemned the actions seen in the video, stating it doesn’t reflect the work of most officers who strive to do their jobs well.
Brooks had been serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault since 2017. He was taken to Wynn Hospital in Utica, where he was declared dead from asphyxia early on December 10.
State Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello III called the incident a killing and assured that those responsible would be held accountable.
He stressed that these actions do not represent the values of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.