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Protesters gathered outside the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office in Syracuse on Thursday (February 6) to demand murder charges against corrections officers involved in the death of Robert Brooks. Brooks, an inmate at Marcy Correctional Facility, died after a violent beating on December 9, 2024. The incident was captured on body camera footage.
The protesters, led by Reverend Kevin McCall, called for District Attorney William Fitzpatrick to prosecute the officers involved. Fitzpatrick, appointed as a special prosecutor after the state Attorney General's Office recused itself, met with McCall before the protest. McCall described the meeting as "productive" and "respectful."
Brooks' death was ruled a homicide by the Onondaga County Medical Examiner’s Office, with the cause listed as "compression of the neck and multiple blunt-impact injuries." The family has filed a federal lawsuit against the correctional staff and others seen in the bodycam footage.
A grand jury is set to review evidence starting Monday (February 10). Fitzpatrick has stated he will not comment further until the grand jury makes a decision.
The case has drawn attention from multiple federal and state agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice, which are investigating Brooks' death. Governor Kathy Hochul has ordered the firing of state employees involved in the incident.