Brutally abused: Prison guards beat inmate to death!

By Marc Kalpidis

New York (USA) - The brutal mistreatment of a black inmate by prison guards in the US state of New York is fueling the debate about excesses of violence and racism in the American prison system.

New York Attorney General Letitia James (66) released video footage of the cruel mistreatment of a black inmate.
New York Attorney General Letitia James (66) released video footage of the cruel mistreatment of a black inmate.  © Bebeto Matthews/AP/dpa

Robert Brooks was beaten with brute force by prison officers almost three weeks ago and pronounced dead the next day. Video footage of the incident has only now been released by New York's Attorney General Letitia James (66), sparking widespread outrage.

Governor Kathy Hochul (66) announced in a statement that she was "appalled and shocked" by the "senseless killing" of the inmate - and ordered the dismissal of 13 prison officers and a medical nurse.

The disturbing scenes of violence were captured by body cameras of the prison officers involved on December 9. That evening, Brooks - sentenced to 12 years in prison for assaulting his ex-partner in 2017, according to media reports - was transferred from another prison to the nearby Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County.

According to the investigating authorities, the bodycams were in standby mode at the time of the incident and therefore recorded the events without sound.

Punches, a chokehold and a laughing officer

Video footage shows Brooks being carried into an examination room at the detention center.
Video footage shows Brooks being carried into an examination room at the detention center.  © Screenshot/New York State Attorney General

The video footage, which lasts around two hours, shows Brooks being carried into an examination room at the detention center, where several officers push him onto a couch. At this point, he is wearing handcuffs with his hands behind his back and is effectively at the mercy of his tormentors.

Among other things, the 43-year-old can be seen being punched and kicked and put in a chokehold - although the uniformed officers beating him all appear to be white.

None of the bystanders intervene. It is not possible to hear what is being said, but Brooks is clearly at least not resisting, and there are no signs of provocation.

Brooks was pronounced dead the next morning at a local hospital. According to the investigating authorities, the official autopsy results are still pending.

However, initial investigations have shown that Brooks probably died as a result of neck injuries and "external force", it was said. Presumed cause of death: he probably suffocated.

Civil rights activists denounce "culture of violence"

The 43-year-old sits injured on the bed, surrounded by uniformed men - all of them white.
ContentImage.Description   © Screenshot/New York State Attorney General

A lawyer for the bereaved denounced that Brooks had been "violently beaten to death by officers whose job it was to ensure his safety".

The prison workers' union said it was "stunned", while civil rights groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called for strong action against the "culture of violence" and irresponsibility in New York prisons.