*At least three of the prison guards – one of them is a supervisor – shown in the 20-minute body cam footage brutally beating Robert Brooks had been named in federal lawsuits filed by other prisoners as far back as 2020 accusing them of beatings that left one man disfigured and another wheelchair bound.
Yet they still were allowed to stay on the job. New York’s Corrections Commissioner had a lot to say about the culture of brutality but has done little to nothing to change it. What if Brooks was his brother?
It’s about to be a New Year, but ain’t nothing changed but the date on the calendar. They pretend to be upstanding and law-abiding citizens. This latest video proves who they really are.
Click the video above for my take on it.
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Robert Brooks Beating Background
Robert Brooks, a 43-year-old inmate at Marcy Correctional Facility in New York, died on December 10, 2024, following a violent encounter with correctional officers. Brooks, serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault, was transferred for a medical examination on December 9. Body camera footage shows officers restraining Brooks, forcibly inserting an object into his mouth, and striking him multiple times while handcuffed. At one point, officers lifted him against a wall, after which he became unresponsive. Despite resuscitation efforts, Brooks was pronounced dead the next day, with asphyxia due to neck compression cited as the cause of death.
In response, Governor Kathy Hochul terminated 14 prison staff members, including 13 officers and one nurse. The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS) launched a policy review, and the FBI opened a federal investigation. Brooks, who earned his GED while incarcerated and was known as a musician, is now at the center of calls for systemic reform. The release of bodycam footage has triggered public outrage, with civil rights groups demanding accountability and transparency to prevent future abuses in correctional facilities. This incident highlights deep-rooted issues within the prison system, calling for immediate reform and oversight.
Steffanie Rivers is a freelance journalist living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex. Email her at [email protected] with your comments, questions, and speaking inquiries. Follow her @tcbstef on Instagram and Threads.
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