Lawsuit Filed Over Inmate Death in New York

The family of Robert Brooks, a Black inmate who died following a brutal beating by corrections officers at Marcy Correctional Facility in New York, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit. The lawsuit targets 17 officers and various state officials, alleging a 'dangerously broken' prison system that allows such brutality. Brooks, who was restrained, was beaten on December 9, 2023, and died the following day from asphyxia due to neck compression. The incident was captured on body camera footage, prompting multiple investigations by state and federal authorities. The Brooks family seeks justice, calling for the prosecution of the involved officers and systemic prison reform. Corrections commissioner Daniel Martuscello has promised institutional changes in response to the incident.