ALBANY, N.Y. — The recent autopsy report regarding the death of a man who was in handcuffs at the hands of New York prison guards has officially classified the incident as a homicide, as conveyed by the attorneys representing his family on Wednesday.
The report, released by the county medical examiner’s office last week, identifies the cause of Robert Brooks’ death in December as neck compression and numerous blunt force injuries. The lawyers highlighted that the autopsy determined the manner of death to be homicide.
Body camera footage captured corrections officers violently assaulting Brooks while he was restrained on a medical exam table at Marcy Correctional Facility on December 9. In a shocking display, one officer struck him in the stomach with a shoe, while another pulled him up by the neck and slammed him back onto the table.
Brooks was declared dead the following day.
Family attorney Stephen Schwarz commented on the autopsy findings, stating that it negates any claims suggesting alternative causes for Brooks’ death, aside from what was evident in the video footage.
In response to the incident, New York’s attorney general has appointed Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick to take on the role of special prosecutor in the investigation into Brooks’ death. A grand jury is anticipated to review the evidence associated with the case.
In the wake of the events, over a dozen corrections personnel and two nurses have faced suspensions without pay, while one officer opted to resign.
Additionally, Brooks’ son, Robert L. Brooks Jr., has initiated a lawsuit against those alleged to be involved in the assault, along with the former head of the facility and the commissioner of the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
Governor Kathy Hochul has urged for swift action in the criminal investigation following the medical examiner’s declaration of homicide. She remarked, “Those accountable for Mr. Brooks’ death must face the fullest extent of the law, and I understand the critical need to establish a solid prosecution to ensure justice is served upon those individuals.”
