• The death of Robert Brooks, a New York inmate, was ruled a homicide following an assault by prison guards.
• Body camera footage shows guards assaulting Brooks while he was handcuffed.
• New York Governor Kathy Hochul insists on accountability for the guard's actions.
• A special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate the case, with calls for criminal charges imminent.

In a troubling development, the death of Robert Brooks, a 43-year-old inmate at the Marcy Correctional Facility, was officially ruled a homicide by the Onondaga County Medical Examiner. This ruling comes in light of a brutal assault by corrections officers that took place while Brooks was handcuffed and shackled on December 9, 2024. The autopsy report confirmed that Brooks died due to compression of the neck and multiple blunt impact injuries, prompting widespread outrage and demands for accountability.

Body camera footage, although not recorded during the incident, captured the horrifying moments leading to Brooks's death, showing officers punching, kicking, choking, and even using a shoe to strike him as he lay defenseless on an examination table. He was pronounced dead the following day at Wynne Hospital. New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the incident as a “horrific” murder and called for swift criminal charges against those involved, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive prosecution to hold the guilty accountable. “The family of Mr. Brooks deserves no further delays,” she stated in response to the outcry over his death, as reported by The New York Times.

Brooks's family has initiated state and federal lawsuits, asserting their right to justice for the violent death of their loved one. Family attorney Elizabeth Mazur affirmed that the autopsy confirmed “what was already clear: Robert Brooks’s violent death was a homicide.” They now await the prosecution of those responsible and continue to advocate for systemic changes within the prison system, which has been criticized for its treatment of inmates. Brooks had previously been serving a 12-year sentence for felony assault when the tragic incident occurred.

Following the autopsy ruling, New York’s Attorney General appointed William Fitzpatrick, the District Attorney of Onondaga County, as a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation. This decision came amidst concerns over conflicts of interest within the Attorney General's office. Protests erupted outside Governor Hochul’s office and in various locations, demanding justice for Brooks and calling for broader reforms to the state's criminal justice system. As the investigation continues, officials anticipate potential criminal charges against the officers involved in the egregious act. The case has also garnered attention from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department, both of which are reviewing the circumstances surrounding Brooks's death. For more information, visit AP News and USA Today.