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The Governor of New York. Kathy Hochul, Democrat, has ordered the firing of more than a dozen prison staff 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 Department of Corrections to begin the process of firing 14 workers involved in a Dec. 9 incident at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County that resulted in the death of 43-year-old Robert Brooks. the next day to a hospital.
Brooks had been in prison since 2017 and was serving a 12-year sentence first degree assault.
The governor’s office said the decision came after an internal review, but did not provide details about the circumstances that led to Brooks’ death.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has ordered the firing of more than a dozen prison workers over the fatal beating of an inmate earlier this month. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“The vast majority of correctional officers do an extraordinary job under difficult circumstances, and we are all grateful for their service,” Hochul said. “But we have zero tolerance for people who cross the line, break the law and commit unnecessary violence or targeted abuse.”
The Department of Corrections provided a list of 13 employees, including corrections officers, sergeants and a nurse who have been suspended without pay. It also included another corrections 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.”
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 vigorously seek 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 their lawyer that they are “incredibly shocked and saddened” by the death, according to reports. The Times-Union in Albany.
“We are grateful that Governor Hochul is taking swift action to hold the officers accountable, but we cannot understand how this could have happened in the first place,” the family said. “Nobody should have to 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 corrections officers which resulted in Brooks’ death. He said his staff has obtained video of the incident and it will be released after Brooks’ family has seen it.
“Law enforcement professionals must be 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.
