The passing of shackled inmate Robert Brooks at a central New York prison late last year has been classified as a homicide, as announced by Governor Kathy Hochul on Wednesday.

Robert Brooks, 43, suffered severe beating with his hands cuffed behind him by corrections officers while detained at the Marcy Correction Facility on December 9. Brooks was serving time for first-degree assault at this facility. He was declared dead in a nearby hospital the following day.

While the officers did not activate their body cameras during the incident, footage captured while the cameras were in standby mode revealed them punching, kicking, and choking Brooks and removing his clothing.

Hochul confirmed that the Onondaga County Medical Examiner conducted the autopsy on Brooks and concluded that his death was a homicide, describing it as a “horrific, shocking” act, and urged for criminal charges and arrests to follow.

“Those accountable for Mr. Brooks’ death must be held to the highest level of the law, and I acknowledge the necessity to create a strong case to ensure justice is served,” the governor stated. “This abhorrent act of violence calls for the full strength of our legal system − Mr. Brooks’ family deserves immediate justice.”

Family Attorney Confirms Cause of Death: ‘Multiple Blunt Force Injuries’

Brooks was struck repeatedly as various corrections officers and staff looked on, with the beating coming to an end only when he lost consciousness. Initially, it was reported that Brooks died following a confrontation with the officers, but body camera footage released by the attorney general’s office on December 27 revealed the harsh reality of the assault.

“From the autopsy, we can verify that the cause of death was due to compression of the neck and multiple blunt force injuries,” stated Elizabeth Mazur, a partner at Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym who is representing Brooks’ estate, to the Utica Observer-Dispatch, which is part of the YSL News Network, on Wednesday.

“The autopsy report validates what was already evident: Robert Brooks’s tragic death was indeed a homicide,” Mazur remarked. “We are eager for the prosecution of those responsible. Meanwhile, we will continue our push for justice on behalf of Mr. Brooks and his family.”

In New York, autopsy results are not public records and are only accessible to immediate family members, attorneys, and insurance companies.

What Occurred with Robert Brooks?

On December 9, while serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault, Brooks was transferred from the Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome, New York, to the Marcy Correctional Facility, located approximately 53 miles northeast of Syracuse.

Footage shows Brooks with his hands restrained as officers punched him, struck him with a shoe, grabbed him by the neck, shoved him against a wall, and stripped him of his clothing before medical staff arrived to examine him.

He was taken to Wynn Hospital in Utica, where he was pronounced dead the following day.

Previously, Brooks had pleaded guilty to felony assault charges for stabbing his long-term girlfriend on April 18, 2016. The following year, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The couple, who had a teenage child together, got into a physical altercation at their home in Greece, New York, which resulted in Brooks stabbing his girlfriend multiple times in the upper body. He fled the scene but was later captured by law enforcement.

Investigation Launched into Officers’ Use of Force

Following Brooks’ death, officials began an investigation, which triggered public outrage and protests outside Hochul’s office in Manhattan, along with demonstrations in Rochester, where community leaders requested reforms in the criminal justice system and accountability for the officers involved in the incident.

In late December, Hochul initiated a comprehensive investigation, mandated the termination of the 14 corrections employees implicated in Brooks’ death, and announced that the prison would receive a new superintendent to foster “significant cultural change.” State Attorney General Letitia James also began an inquiry into the officers’ use of force.

However, due to conflicts of interest within the Attorney General’s Office, according to the Observer-Dispatch, the office has recused itself and designated Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick as the special prosecutor.

As of Wednesday, no criminal charges have been brought against the corrections officers involved in Brooks’ death.

The FBI and Justice Department have confirmed they are scrutinizing the case, which remains under investigation as of Thursday.

Contributing: Christopher Cann and Amaris Encinas with YSL News, and Justice Marbury with the Democrat and Chronicle,

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter. Follow her on X @nataliealund.