'Catalyst for change': Brooks Family speaks publicly for first time after deadly Marcy beating
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – The family of Robert Brooks spoke publicly for the first time since his death in the aftermath of a brutal beating at Marcy Correctional Facility earlier this month. Loved ones and activists demanding change gathered for a rally and vigil Monday night outside the Monroe County Jail in Rochester.
Brooks, a Greece native, was incarcerated at the facility in 2017 - sentenced to serve 12-years behind bars for assaulting a woman with a knife. However more than halfway through his sentence, Brooks died Dec. 10 after the NYS Attorney General said he was beaten by several staff members, most of them correction officers. Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday announced she was "heartbroken by this unnecessary loss of life."
Monday night calls for change rang out as loved ones mourned the loss of Brooks in Rochester. It comes just days after the AG released body camera footage of the alleged assault.
"He took advantage of every opportunity to make a positive impact on his community. He had a loving, generous heart and a special concern for young people," said Robert Brooks Jr., the son of Robert Brooks. "Our deepest wishes are that my father's death will not be in vain. His killing must be a catalyst for change."
Loved ones told News 8 that they were still coming to terms with the situation, adding that the past few weeks have been taking a toll on the entire family.
"Our family has focused on supporting one another. But the circumstances surrounding my father's death has been massively hard. We are taking one thing at a time," Brooks Jr. said.
Friends, family and those wanting to see meaningful change chanted and rallied as those incarcerated inside the Monroe County Jail flashed their cell lights on and off in solidarity. Reuben Becoats told News 8 the body camera footage released struck a chord with him, as his own son was incarcerated.
"The Brooks's son, and his parents are members of my church, and I think anybody that got a family member incarcerated should be here tonight," Becoats said. "Stand up for their rights out here - because no one deserves to be treated like that, you know. And the guys have been getting away with this, it's time to stop. It's really time to stop."
According to DOCCS, the following staff members have been suspended without pay:
- Sgt. Michael Mashaw
- Sgt. Glenn Trombly
- CO Matthew Galliher
- CO Nicholas Anzalone
- CO David Kingsley
- CO Nicholas Kieffer
- CO Robert Kessler
- CO Michael Fisher
- CO Christopher Walrath
- CO Michael Along
- CO Shea Schoff
- CO David Walters
- Nurse Kyle Dashnaw
Only one person resigned: CO Anthony Farina.
Monday night's rally joined mounting calls for systemic change throughout communities across New York State.
"The way that Mr. Brooks was killed is just horrifying it's terrible enough to lose a loved one, especially an incarcerated loved one when the family knows that they weren't with them during their final moments, but I think it's especially hard to know that you've lost a loved one this way - to this kind of senseless act of violence," said Elizabeth Mazur, Partner Attorney at Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd., a law firm based in Chicago.
Mazur is representing the Brooks Family.
"We've heard these more recent reports about how some of these officers had been involved in other, you know, alleged acts of pretty extreme violence against prisoners and you know have been involved in ongoing litigation so it certainly raises questions about you know whether there's a real cultural problem that's been allowed to fester at Marcy or sort of within the prison system in general," Mazur said.
One week ago, Mazur recalled first meeting with the Brooks Family alongside investigators and the Attorney General for the first-time viewing of the disturbing footage. Mazur noted, while it has been difficult for the family, in general, to bear witness to such treatment of a loved one, the need for accountability is paramount.
"Our office has been contacted by so many people over the last week who have said they have been at Marcy or been formally incarcerated, that viewing this video has just brought them to tears because they know things like this happen all the time just that people... you know it's just not seen. Or people don't believe it, and really just sort of wishing us well and sending the best to the Brooks' family and that is something that's really stuck with me," said Mazur.
"In my years of working, in particularly getting to know some incarcerated people, people will tell you things like this do happen with some frequency and I think when you look at the video and sort of see the expressions on the officers' faces and the body language of people around there, you certainly get that sense that this is not like an exceptional act, or not something that doesn't happen with some frequency and so part of what we are going to learn about and get as much information as we can about is 'what were...what was in place systemically that kind of led us to what happened to Mr. Brooks in December of this month' and I know the family is very interested in learning the answers to those questions to and ensuring that things like this don't happen," she added.
Mazur also noted the family is planning, in the far future, to file a civil lawsuit over Robert Brooks' death.
In the meantime, the AG investigation into the matter remains ongoing.