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David Walters, a former corrections officer at Marcy Correctional Facility will remain free on bail as he seeks to withdraw his guilty plea in the beating death of inmate Robert Brooks. Walters was one of ten officers indicted in connection with Brooks' death on December 9, 2024. He initially accepted a plea deal that could have resulted in a prison sentence of up to seven years.
Supreme Court Justice James P. McClusky ruled that Walters could stay out of prison on bail because he did not waive his right to appeal before pleading guilty in September. Walters had admitted to standing by while other officers beat Brooks and preventing a nurse from intervening. He was released from Elmira Correctional Facility after posting a $100,000 bond.
Prosecutors argued that Walters' plea indicated his guilt, but Walters and his attorney, Nick Passalacqua, claimed the prosecution was based on an employment directive rather than a law. Walters' case is unusual, as most plea deals involve waiving the right to appeal. Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick expressed concern over the decision, noting that it is rare for someone who pleaded guilty to be released on bail.
In a related trial, two other officers, Matthew Galliher and Nicholas Kieffer, were acquitted, while David Kingsley was convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life for murder. Walters has 120 days from December 10 to file an appeal. According to CNY Central, Kingsley was the only officer found guilty by a jury, with Brooks' death ruled a homicide due to "compression of the neck and multiple blunt-impact injuries."