Governor of New York. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has 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 had directed the state Department of Corrections commissioner to begin firing 14 workers involved in a Dec. 9 incident at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County that resulted in the death 43-year-old Robert Brooks ended up in a hospital the next day.
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 employees over the fatal mistreatment of an inmate earlier this month. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“The vast majority of correctional officers perform exceptional work under difficult circumstances, and we are all grateful for their service,” Hochul said. “But we have zero tolerance for people who cross the border, 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 were suspended without pay. This included another correctional officer who resigned.
State Department of Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello III condemned the employees’ involvement 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 came after an internal review. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
“There is no place for brutality in our department and we will vigorously fight for justice against the individuals who committed this senseless act,” he said in a statement to The Associated Press. “These investigations are ongoing and further suspensions may be imposed.”
Brooks’ family said in a statement through their lawyer that they were “incredibly shocked and saddened” by the death The Times-Union in Albany.
“We are grateful that Governor Hochul is taking swift action to hold officials accountable, but we cannot understand how this could even have happened,” the family said. “No one 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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Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, said her office was also investigating the use of force Correctional officers that led to Brooks’ death. She said her staff had obtained video of the incident and it would be released once Brooks’ family saw it.
“Law enforcement officers must be held to the highest standards of accountability, and I am committed to providing New Yorkers the transparency they deserve,” James said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
