10 New York correction officers charged in on-camera beating death of inmate Robert Brooks

Ten New York prison guards have been indicted in connection to the killing of inmate Robert Brooks — whose brutal, and fatal beating was caught on a stomach-churning body-worn camera video.

Six correction officers have been charged with second-degree murder and three others face manslaughter charges for the Dec. 9 homicide of Brooks, a prisoner at Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County, an indictment unsealed Thursday revealed. A tenth officer is being charged with tampering with evidence.

All the officers entered not-guilty pleas at a court hearing in Utica. At least six of the officers made bond — which was set at $250,000 bail bond for the murder charges.

Brooks was rendered defenseless against the guards’ alleged beat-down as his hands were cuffed behind his back the entire time as the guards showed a disturbing “sense of normalcy” in the shocking footage, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said at a news conference.

“I think any sentient human being looking at the tapes naturally comes to the conclusion that [Brooks] must have said something. He must have spit at the officers. He must have resisted in some way. And the fact of the matter is, he did absolutely nothing,” Fitzpatrick said.

The DA further claimed that he would be able to prove in court that the correction officers believed their bodyworn cameras were off during the group assault.

Protestors filled the courtroom Thursday, with some shouting “murdered, murderer,” at the guards who arrived at the proceeding in handcuffs.

Nicholas Anzalone, David Kingsley, Anthony Farina, Christopher Walrath, Mathew Galliger, and one unnamed man were each charged with second-degree murder. Meanwhile, Michael Mashaw, Michael Fisher and David Walters were charged with first-degree manslaughter, indicating prosecutors believe they are criminally liable for the actions of others but did not commit murder.

Three other prison employees have already reached plea agreements, Fitzpatrick said Thursday.

Brooks, 43, was serving a 12-year prison sentence for first-degree assault since 2017 and had arrived at the prison shortly before his caught-on-tape beating. He had been transferred to the Oneida County prison from another nearby facility.

In the disturbing tape, Brooks, hands cuffed behind his back, is repeatedly beaten by a group of prison guards — who strike him with a shoe, grip him by the neck and throw him to the ground. Fitzpatrick said it was the third beating he received after arriving at the prison.

He sustained a broken bone in his neck, ripped thyroid cartilage, and bruised internal organs as a result of the assault and died the next day.

The Onondaga County medical examiner ruled that Brooks died from compression of the neck and multiple blunt-impact injuries.

After the court proceedings, Robert Brooks Jr., the deceased man’s son, made a plea for justice.

“These men killed my father, it was on video. The whole world got to see it. Waiting a month for these charges has been incredibly hard. But these men must be prosecuted and convicted of the crimes they made,” Brooks Jr., said. 

Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the heinous gang attack at the hands of state employees.

“Today will, hopefully, be a chapter in restoring the faith of people that when people cross the line, people engage in such horrific acts, that there are severe consequences,” the governor told reporters in Manhattan.

She had previously ordered the guards involved in Brooks’ death be fired.

Hochul has her own correction officers problem — staring down a wildcat strike that has employees at 36 correctional facilities across New York refusing to work.

State Supreme Court Justice Donna M. Siwek ruled that the strikes are in violation of the Public Employee’s Fair Employment Act, documents filed in Erie County revealed Wednesday.

With Post wires.