The Body Camera Footage of Robert Brooks's Fatal Beating Is Shocking

Content Warning: This article mentions police brutality.

On Dec. 9, 2024, Robert Brooks was transferred from Mohawk Correctional Facility to Marcy Correctional Facility in Marcy, N.Y. The 43-year-old was halfway through a 12-year sentence for assaulting a woman with a knife, reported WIVB. Although transfers aren't common, this should have been a pretty problem-free situation. Unfortunately, Brooks died in the early hours of Dec. 10 at a Utica hospital.

The circumstances surrounding Brooks's death were unknown to the public until body camera footage belonging to four correctional officers was released. The images are upsetting and were met with anger and cries for justice. The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigations has since opened an investigation into the incarcerated man's death. What happened to Robert Brooks? Details to follow.

The body camera footage was uploaded to the Office of the New York State Attorney General. There are eight videos, four of which are excerpts from the full videos which were also included. The recordings are from bodycams belonging to Sergeant Glenn Trombly, Correction Officer Michael Along, Correction Officer Michael Fisher, and Correction Officer Matthew Galliher.

Sergeant Trombly's footage begins with his arrival at what appears to be a medical wing in the prison. There are at least nine correctional officers milling about, three of whom are in an examination room with Brooks who is sitting on a table. Brooks's face is bleeding and his hands are cuffed behind his back. It's unclear what led to this moment. The videos do not have sound so we are unable to tell what is being said.

The Sergeant is looking at paperwork when suddenly, another officer holding a shoe begins punching Brooks repeatedly. Two officers are holding Brooks down while five officers in the room watch. No one is making a move to stop the beating and some appear to be amused by what they are seeing. Two officers pull Brooks up to a seated position. He seems to be struggling to remain conscious.

Trombly's body camera moves away from Brooks during which three of the correction officers have pushed Brooks back down onto his back while a fourth braces his foot against Brooks's groin. One officer punches Brooks in the stomach while two are trying to hold his feet down. They manage to put zip ties around Brooks's ankles while two officers appear to have their hands either on his neck or head. He is once again moved to a seated position. We can see Brooks is trying to speak.

Two officers flank Brooks on either side while one stands to his left. The officer who was holding Brooks's feet is breathing heavily. Still handcuffed, Brooks is talking, which prompts the guard to his right to punch him once in the stomach. That guard then exits the room, leaving just one guard holding Brooks up while at least four are standing in the room, doing nothing. The guard who left returns and puts on blue latex gloves.

He then picks up Brooks along with the other guard who was already holding him. Brooks can barely stand as they drag him over to a wall, pushing his face against it. Apart from the two guards holding Brooks up, there are at least six others in the room. Sergeant Trombly leaves the room and then returns, where we see one officer washing something in the sink. Brooks is still against the wall but he is nearly on his knees. It's clear he can barely stand. Some of the correction officers are smiling.

Sargeant Trombly once again exits the room and walks up and down the hallway. When he quickly checks back in, Brooks is back on the examining table but his pants are now off. Three officers are leaning over him. The footage from Sergeant Trombly's body camera is the most detailed in terms of what was happening in the examination room.

At some point, Officer Galliher's video shows Brooks clad only in his underwear on the examination table. He is not moving. It appears as if someone is holding his right wrist, looking for a pulse. A few minutes later, someone is standing over Brooks and they are holding a stethoscope to his chest while looking at their watch. Brooks has not moved.