New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, ordered the firing of more than a dozen prison employees in connection with the fatal beating of an inmate earlier this month.
Hochul said in a statement Saturday that he has ordered the commissioner of the state corrections department to begin the process of firing 14 workers involved in a Dec. 9 incident at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County that led to the death of Robert Brooks, 43 years old. the next day in a hospital.
Brooks had been in prison since 2017 and was serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault.
The governor’s office said the decision came after an internal review, but did not offer details about the circumstances that led to Brooks’ death.
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered the firing of more than a dozen prison employees over a fatal beating of an inmate earlier this month. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“The vast majority of correctional officers do extraordinary work under difficult circumstances and we are all grateful for their service,” Hochul said. “But we do not tolerate people who cross the line, break the law and engage in unnecessary violence or targeted abuse.”
The corrections department provided a list of 13 employees, including correctional officers, sergeants and a nurse, who have been suspended without pay. It also included another correctional officer who resigned.
State Department of Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello III condemned the staff’s involvement and said the suspensions are “in the best interest of the agency and the communities we serve.”
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The governor’s office said the decision came after an internal review. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
“There is no place for brutality in our department and we will aggressively pursue justice against the individuals who committed this senseless act,” he said in a statement to The Associated Press. “These investigations are ongoing and additional suspensions may be issued.”
Brooks’ family said in a statement from his attorney that they are “incredibly shocked and saddened” by the death, according to The Times-Union in Albany.
“We are grateful that Governor Hochul is taking quick action to hold the officers accountable, but we cannot understand how this could have happened in the first place,” the family said. “No one should lose a family member this way.”
Robert Brooks had been in prison since 2017, serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault. (iStock)
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State Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, said her office is also investigating the use of force by correctional officers that led to Brooks’ death. He said his staff obtained video of the incident and it will be made public after Brooks’ family views it.
“Law enforcement professionals are held to the highest standards of accountability, and I am committed to providing New Yorkers with the transparency they deserve,” James said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
