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Governor of New York Kathy Hochul, 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 she has ordered the commissioner of the state Department of Corrections to begin the process of firing 14 workers involved in the Dec. 9 incident at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County that led to the death of 43-year-old Robert Brooks. the next day in the hospital.
Brooks has been in prison since 2017, serving a 12-year sentence first degree assault.
The governor’s office said the decision followed 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 has ordered the firing of more than a dozen prison employees over the fatal beating of an inmate earlier this month. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“The vast majority of prison officers do an outstanding job under difficult circumstances and we are all grateful for their service,” Hochul said. “But we have zero tolerance for individuals who cross the border, break the law and engage in unnecessary violence or targeted abuse.”
The Department of Corrections provided a list of 13 employees, including prison officers, sergeants and a nurse, who have been suspended without pay. It also includes another prison officer who resigned.
State Department of Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello III condemned the staff interference and said the suspensions were “in the best interest of the agency and the communities we serve.”
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The governor’s office said the decision was made after an internal review. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
“There is no place for brutality in our department and we will vigorously 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 are possible.”
Brooks’ family said in a statement from their attorney that they are “shocked and saddened beyond belief” by the death, according to 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,” the family said. “Nobody should have to lose a family member this way.”
Robert Brooks has been in prison since 2017, serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault. (iStock)
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Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, said her office is also investigating the use of force by the parties prison officials which led to Brooks’ death. She said her staff has obtained video of the incident and it will be made public after Brooks’ family sees 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.
