Former New York Prison Guard Sentenced 15 Years Manslaughter

Christopher Walrath, a former corrections officer at Marcy Correctional Facility in New York, was sentenced to 15 years in prison plus five years of post-release supervision for his role in the death of inmate Robert Brooks, who was brutally beaten by multiple guards in December 2024. Walrath pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and admitted to assaulting Brooks, including putting him in a chokehold and striking his groin, actions captured on bodycam footage. Brooks, who was serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault, was pummeled without any provocation, according to Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, who described the beating as unjustified and described the officers' behavior as treating Brooks' life as if it held no value. Six guards have been charged with murder in connection to Brooks' death, with additional prison workers facing manslaughter and evidence tampering charges; some have accepted plea deals while others are preparing for trial. Brooks' son delivered a victim impact statement expressing deep grief and emphasizing that he will never be okay, underscoring the family's pain and call for justice. This case is part of a broader investigation into prison guard violence, including another deadly beating at a nearby correctional facility involving multiple guards charged with murder.