Footage from body cameras worn by four of the more than a dozen corrections officers present when New York prisoner Robert Brooks was allegedly assaulted has been released by the state attorney general's office.
Fourteen Corrections employees – two sergeants, 10 corrections officers and a nurse – were suspended earlier this month pending the outcome of investigations into the death of Brooks, 43, following the Dec. 9 confrontation.
The videos released Friday confirm details of the incident that were included in court documents filed by state police earlier this week, including that Brooks was handcuffed while he was beaten.
“I do not take the release of this video lightly, especially during the holiday season,” state Attorney General Letitia James said in a video statement.
She added: “As Attorney General, I am releasing these videos because I have a responsibility and duty to provide the Brooks family, their loved ones, and all New Yorkers with transparency and accountability. »
In body camera footage, Brooks' face is covered in blood two minutes into the incident that began when correctional officers at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County arrested him. beaten. Brooks died the next morning at a Utica hospital.
Ryan Paparella, a former corrections officer who now leads the investigation into Brooks' death, said earlier that there was no apparent motivation for the attack, which was witnessed by two nurses and other officers , including the sergeants, who refused to intervene.
Authorities are now bracing for protests and public outcry following the release of the video showing several officers standing around handcuffed Brooks as he was placed on an examination table in the infirmary.
One of the officers is seen removing the prisoner's shoes and starting to beat him. The assault shows officers hitting Brooks repeatedly for about 10 minutes. He doesn't seem to resist or threaten them. At times, Brooks appeared dazed from the physical assault and on several occasions, an officer could be seen briskly rubbing Brooks' sternum with his knuckles – apparently to resuscitate him.
While Brooks was still restrained by several officers, another officer punched him three times in the buttocks, according to court records. This officer also raised his leg at one point and appeared to stomp on Brooks' genital area.
The video footage then shows two officers pulling Brooks to a seated position on an examination table in the infirmary – his face dripping with blood – before one of them can be seen punching Brooks in the chest with a closed fist .
That officer, who had been the first to begin hitting Brooks, then put on a new pair of latex gloves – apparently because the gloves he had replaced had Brooks' blood on them.
Body camera footage also shows two nurses standing in the hallway, at times peering into the room as the assault continued. Toward the end of the videos, these nurses are called into the room and appear to check Brooks' vital signs.
A medical examiner has preliminarily determined that Brooks, who suffered fractures and injuries to his upper body, groin, neck and head, may have died from “asphyxia due to compression of the neck”.
The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) released a statement saying, “The fatal beating of Brooks is not an isolated incident. Rather, it highlights a culture of violence and a lack of accountability for wrongdoing by corrections officers that endangers the lives of incarcerated New Yorkers.
He adds: “No one should die in custody at the hands of corrections officers, who are responsible for the safety and security of individuals in DOCCS facilities. Mr. Brooks’ family and all New Yorkers deserve transparency and accountability.”
