Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County of New York has become a talking point across the United States after body camera footage on Friday showed guards beating an inmate to death.
The inmate identified as 43-year-old Robert Brooks, was forcefully yanked from the bed by his shirt collar, punched and kicked repeatedly while handcuffed on an infirmary bed by correctional officers, the body camera visuals showed. Brooks, who was seen bleeding profusely following the assault, died the following day while undergoing treatment, US media reports said.
Who was Robert Brooks?
Robert Brooks was handed a 12-year rigorous imprisonment in 2017 for first-degree assault of his girlfriend. Brooks, who was originally being transferred from the Mohawk Correctional Facility, was taken to Marcy Correctional Facility on December 9.
How did Robert Brooks die?
“Preliminary findings show concern for asphyxia due to compression of the neck as the cause of death, as well as the death being due to actions of another,” media reports claimed a state corrections office investigative report as saying.
The events that led to his demise the following day unfolded at the medical exam room before 9:30 pm local time, NorthJersey.com said. Brooks was carried into the room hanging upside down.
The incident is being investigated by state Attorney General Letitia James following the video was made public. The heartbreaking video captured a correctional officer pressing his foot down on Brooks before he was mercilessly punched by two. He was handcuffed behind his back the whole time, leaving him helpless.
Where is Marcy Correctional Facility located?
Marcy Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison, opened in Oneida County in 1989 to hold medium-security prisoners. It remains unknown what led to Brooks being transferred from one Oneida County to another.
Why the body cam visuals had no audio?
Since the officers had not activated their body cameras, the audio was not recorded. 30 minutes of recording was received as they were on standby mode. As a result, nobody knows what was being said between Brooks and his tormentors and anything he said in particular resulted in him getting assaulted.
Meanwhile, an NBC News report pointed out that the the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision was asked to begin the process of firing 14 workers including correctional officers, sergeants and a prison nurse at the Marcy Correctional Facility.