New York Attorney General Letitia James has appointed veteran prosecutor William Fitzpatrick as a special prosecutor to handle the investigation into the death of Robert Brooks, a Black man who died after being beaten by state corrections officers. James recused her office from the case to avoid potential conflicts of interest.
Brooks, who was handcuffed during the December 9 incident at Marcy Correctional Facility, was assaulted by officers, as seen in recently released body camera footage. The video shows officers punching Brooks, striking him in the stomach with a shoe, and lifting him by the neck before dropping him back onto a medical examination table. Brooks was pronounced dead the next morning.
The appointment of Fitzpatrick, the Onondaga County District Attorney, comes after James explained that her office represents four of the officers involved in unrelated litigation, creating a potential conflict. “Even the possibility or mere appearance of a conflict could tie up a potential prosecution in lengthy legal challenges or get it outright dismissed,” James said in a video statement.
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The footage of Brooks’ beating has sparked widespread outrage and calls for reform. Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her shock at the attack, announcing the termination of 13 corrections officers and a nurse implicated in the incident, as well as the appointment of a new prison superintendent.
Hochul called for swift action, stating, “The video of this horrific attack demonstrates that crimes clearly were committed, and I believe initial charges can be brought even as more serious charges are considered based on further investigation.”
Preliminary findings from Brooks’ autopsy suggest asphyxia due to neck compression as the likely cause of death, with indications that it was caused by another person’s actions. Brooks had been serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault and had arrived at the prison only hours before the fatal encounter.
Fitzpatrick, who has been the chief prosecutor in the Syracuse area since 1992, has not yet commented on the case.
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