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At least nine employees from Marcy Correctional Facility are set to be arraigned on Thursday (February 20) in connection with the death of inmate Robert Brooks Jr. The arraignment follows a sealed indictment by a grand jury in Oneida County, according to Syracuse.com.
Brooks, 43, died in December after being beaten by multiple corrections officers while handcuffed in the prison's infirmary. The Onondaga County Medical Examiner's Office ruled his death a homicide, citing "compression of the neck and multiple blunt impact injuries" as the cause. The incident was captured on body cameras worn by the officers, and the footage was released publicly in late December.
The Times Union reports that the indictment will be unsealed in Oneida County Court on Tuesday, revealing the charges against the employees, who are expected to turn themselves in to the State Police. The case is being handled by the office of Onondaga County District Attorney William J. Fitzpatrick, appointed as a special prosecutor after the state attorney general's office recused itself.
The death of Brooks has sparked calls for reform in New York's correctional system, with state Senator Julia Salazar advocating for legislation to improve prison oversight. Brooks' father, Robert Ricks, has joined these efforts, highlighting the need for accountability and transparency.