New York State Attorney General Letitia James has made public the body camera footage obtained during the investigation into Robert Brooks's death, who died following an interaction with corrections officers at Marcy Correctional Facility. The announcement comes as part of her office's commitment to transparency in cases involving potential law enforcement-related fatalities.
Robert Brooks had been transferred to Marcy Correctional Facility from Mohawk Correctional Facility on December 9 and was reportedly handcuffed at the time of the incident. According to the footage, after he arrived at Marcy, Brooks was taken into a medical examination room where, the events leading to his death unfolded. The Attorney General's Office stated that the released videos include both the full-length footage from the officers' body-worn cameras, and cropped versions focusing on the interactions between Brooks and the officers. The following day, Brooks was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The Office of Special Investigation (OSI), under the Attorney General’s direction, is responsible for evaluating incidents where law enforcement officers, including corrections personnel, may have played a part in someone's death, whether the officer was on or off duty, or the individual was armed or not.
The release is guided by Executive Law Section 70-b and is not intended to indicate any judgments or speculations on criminal responsibility. "The release of this footage is not an expression of any opinion as to the guilt or innocence of any party in a criminal matter or any opinion as to how or whether any individual may be charged with a crime," according to the Office of the New York State Attorney General.
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