Backlash continues following the death of inmate assaulted by prison guards

New York Governor Replaces Superintendent After Inmate Death at Marcy Correctional Facility

MARCY, N.Y. – Governor Kathy Hochul announced leadership changes at the Marcy Correctional Facility following the death of an inmate, Robert Brooks, who was beaten by correctional officers while handcuffed. The decision comes days after body camera footage revealed the brutal attack that occurred on December 9, leading to Brooks’ death the following morning.

The footage shows officers repeatedly punching Brooks in the face, groin, and body while he was restrained on a medical examination table. One officer lifted Brooks by the neck and dropped him back onto the table, while another struck him with a shoe. Preliminary autopsy findings suggest asphyxia due to neck compression and attribute the death to actions by others.

Governor Hochul, during a visit to the facility on Monday, expressed deep outrage over the incident. “The system failed Mr. Brooks, and I will not be satisfied until there has been significant cultural change,” she said.

As part of the response, Hochul announced that Bennie Thorpe, superintendent of Shawangunk Correctional Facility, will take over leadership at Marcy. Thorpe, who has over 20 years of experience but has never served at Marcy, is expected to bring fresh oversight and reforms.

Additionally, the governor has terminated 13 officers and a nurse involved in the incident. She pledged to expand the state corrections department’s special investigation office, hire an external firm to evaluate practices across the correctional system, and strengthen body camera policies, requiring staff to record all interactions with inmates.

The incident has drawn attention from multiple agencies. State Attorney General Letitia James is investigating the officers’ use of force, while the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice are reviewing the case. The FBI declined to comment further.

Hochul expressed her grief after visiting the room where Brooks died, calling the loss “unnecessary” and condemning the actions of those involved. “Mr. Brooks and his family did not deserve this,” she said.

Brooks, 40, was serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault and had been transferred to Marcy Correctional Facility just hours before the fatal encounter. Final autopsy results are pending, but early findings highlight severe concerns over the circumstances of his death.

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