Horrific bodycam footage shows New York cops beating inmate Robert Brooks to death as he’s restrained

An inmate was fatally beaten to death by prison guards who brutally punched and kicked him while he was shackled, and horrific bodycam footage has emerged.

Robert Brooks, 43, was pronounced dead on December 10, the morning after the brutal attack at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County.

His final, agonizing moments were captured on body-worn cameras used by prison staff that showed the attack, as well as several prison guards failing to intervene.

Thirteen corrections officers and a nurse involved in the attack will be fired, according to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who said she was “outraged and shocked” by videos of the “senseless killing.”

The footage was made public Friday by New York Attorney General Letitia James and shows three corrections officers carrying Brooks up to a medical exam room.

Once inside, they repeatedly punch Brooks in the face and groin as he sits handcuffed on a medical exam table.

At one point, one of the officers pushes his boot into Brooks’ stomach, forcing him backwards another yanks him up by the neck and drops him back onto the table.

As he goes limp and unresponsive, another officer comes in and cuffs his ankles with a chain.

They then drag him into a corner and watch them struggle to keep him upright as his body slumps backwards.

He is placed back on the medical table, but does not respond even when the guards try to wake him.

The officers then remove his shirt and pants as he lies motionless and bloodied on his back.

Equally disturbing is the number of officers who witness the attack and no one intervenes.

Brooks was pronounced dead at a hospital the next morning. Preliminary findings from a medical examination indicate “concerns of asphyxia due to neck compression as a cause of death, as well as death being the result of the actions of another person,” according to court documents. The final results of the autopsy are still pending.

The videos did not contain audio because the body cameras were not activated by the officers wearing them.

James said her office was investigating the use of force that led to the death, but did not say whether the officers involved in the assault would face criminal charges.

“These videos are shocking and disturbing and I urge everyone to exercise caution before viewing them,” she added.

Brooks had been serving a 12-year prison sentence for first-degree assault since 2017, according to the department.

He had arrived at the Marcy Correctional Facility just hours before the assault, after being transferred from another nearby state prison, officials said.

The Correctional Association of New York, a prison oversight group, said it documented reports of widespread brutality and racism within the Marcy Correctional Facility during an audit visit two years ago.

New York State Sheriffs’ Association President Craig DuMond said in a statement that he was “shocked, as are all right-thinking people, by the actions” of the officers.

“No human being should be treated that way by another human being,” he added.

“And it is made worse by the fact that the extreme cruelty was inflicted by those entrusted with the power of government, against those whom they were supposed to watch and protect.”

“I don’t take the release of this video lightly, especially in the middle of the holidays,” James told the newspaper New York Times.

“But as attorney general, I am releasing these videos because I have a responsibility and obligation to provide transparency and accountability to the Brooks family, their loved ones, and all New Yorkers.”

Governor Hochul has ordered a “full and immediate investigation” into Brooks’ death.

“Like all New Yorkers, I was outraged and shocked when I saw images of the senseless murder of Robert Brooks,” she said.

“I have made it clear that it is the responsibility of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to provide appropriate care and protection to those in custody, and I will not tolerate anyone who violates this responsibility.

“New York State has zero tolerance for individuals who break the law, and I am committed to holding everyone involved fully accountable.

“Once again, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr. Brooks as they mourn his tragic death.”