John Jefferson
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has ordered the firing of more than a dozen prison staffers in connection with the fatal beating of an inmate earlier this month.
Hochul said in a statement Saturday that she has directed the state’s corrections department commissioner to begin the process of terminating 14 workers involved in a Dec. 9 incident at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County that led to 43-year-old Robert Brooks’ death the following day at a hospital.
Brooks had been in prison since 2017 and was serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault.
The governor’s office said the decision came after an internal review, but did not offer details on the circumstances leading up to Brooks’ death.
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“The vast majority of correction officers do extraordinary work under difficult circumstances, and we are all grateful for their service,” Hochul said. “But we have no tolerance for individuals who cross the line, break the law and engage in unnecessary violence or targeted abuse.”
The corrections department provided a list of 13 employees, including corrections officers, sergeants and a nurse who have been suspended without pay. It also included another corrections officer who resigned.
State Department of Corrections Commissioner Daniel Martuscello III condemned the staffers’ involvement and said the suspensions are “in the best interest of the agency and the communities we serve.”
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“There is no place for brutality in our department and we will vigorously pursue justice against the individuals who committed this senseless act,” he said in a statement to The Associated Press. “These investigations are ongoing and additional suspensions may be issued.”
Brooks’ family said in a statement from their lawyer that they are “incredibly shocked and saddened” about the death, according to The Times-Union in Albany.
“We are grateful that Gov. Hochul is taking swift action to hold officers accountable, but we cannot understand how this could have happened in the first place,” the family said. “No one should have to lose a family member this way.”
State Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, said her office is also investigating the use of force by corrections officers that led to Brooks’ death. She said her staff has obtained video of the incident and it will be made public after Brooks’ family has seen it.
“Law enforcement professionals must be held to the highest standards of accountability, and I am committed to providing New Yorkers with the transparency they deserve,” James said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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