An Onedia County jury delivered a verdict on Monday in the trial of three prison guards charged in the death of Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility. One guard was found guilty, while the other two were acquitted.
Brooks, who had recently been transferred to the facility, died shortly after his arrival. Body-worn camera footage released by the New York Attorney General shows that Brooks was fatally beaten by prison staff within 31 minutes of entering the facility.
The case has drawn widespread attention and sparked discussions about conditions in New York correctional facilities. Advocates for criminal justice reform and community organizers have called for legislative changes, including the Second Look Act and the Earned Time Act. These proposed measures would allow judges to review long sentences after ten years and provide opportunities for incarcerated individuals to earn time off their sentences through work, education, and programming.
Thomas Gant, a community organizer with the Center for Community Alternatives, issued a statement following the verdict, expressing support for Brooks’s family and urging lawmakers to implement reforms aimed at improving prison safety and accountability:
“Today, a jury found one correction officer guilty while acquitting two others in the horrific murder of Robert Brooks. While I am disappointed by the acquittals, I respect the jury’s decision. What happened to Mr. Brooks is unconscionable, and these verdicts serve as another sobering reminder of the needless losses of Mr. Brooks and Messiah Nantwi. That is why I am deeply committed to the changes we are making to ensure that New York State’s correctional facilities are safe for all who enter — employees, the incarcerated, visitors and volunteers alike.
“I have been clear from the very beginning: We have no tolerance for individuals who cross the line, break the law, and engage in violence or abuse. Through the work of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the State Police, and the Onondaga County District Attorney, six of those responsible have already pled guilty and will serve time, along with the individual convicted today.
“The vast majority of our correction officers do extraordinary work under difficult circumstances, and the actions of these individuals do not reflect the integrity and professionalism of the correction officers who continue to staff our facilities. Those responsible for reprehensible acts of violence must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, and that is exactly what my administration is committed to doing.
“I am grateful to the Onondaga County District Attorney, the New York State Police, the Office of Special Investigations and everyone who worked tirelessly to bring justice to the family of Mr. Brooks. My condolences are with his loved ones for the pain they have suffered and the loss they continue to endure. My Administration is committed to ensuring a tragedy like this never happens again.”
