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N.Y. prosecutors denote charges successful decease of Robert Brooks Sr. | Full quality league
A New York correctional serviceman pleaded blameworthy Monday successful the beating decease of Robert Brooks.
Brooks was beaten by officers at Marcy Correctional Facility connected Dec. 9, 2024 portion his hands were cuffed down his back. The beating was caught connected assemblage camera video. Brooks died the adjacent day.
Christopher Walrath was 1 of six correctional officers facing second-degree execution charges. He pleaded blameworthy connected Monday to first-degree manslaughter. Under the deal, he'll person a 15-year sentence. If helium had been convicted of second-degree murder, helium could've faced beingness successful prison.
The justice indicated that Brooks' household has approved of the plea deal.
Walrath, 36, answered "yes" to a bid a questions. He admitted helium near his station to enactment successful the beating, that helium assaulted Brooks on with his chap officers, placed Brooks successful a chokehold during the incident, and struck him astir his assemblage and successful his groin. He besides admitted lying astir the attack.
Brooks was attacked soon aft his accomplishment astatine Marcy.
"The world is, [Brooks] did nothing. It was 'Welcome to Marcy. You were occupation implicit astatine Mid-State, you're not going to beryllium occupation here.' And that's a occupation that needs to beryllium addressed now," Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said.
Walrath and his lawyer near tribunal without comment. He'll beryllium formally sentenced connected Aug. 4.
Three different situation employees person besides reached plea deals, prosecutors said, but this is the archetypal idiosyncratic to formally scope a plea woody successful the case.
Brooks had been serving a 12-year condemnation for assault. He had been jailed since 2017 and had conscionable been transferred to Marcy earlier the deadly beating. His decease was ruled a homicide.
Video released by Attorney General Letitia James' bureau showed the incident. Multiple corrections officers bushed Brooks portion helium was handcuffed connected an aesculapian introspection table. Video could beryllium seen striking Brooks successful the thorax with a footwear and hoisting him up by his cervix and dropping him.
Gov. Kathy Hochul condemned the incident.
"Robert Brooks should beryllium live today," a connection by Gov. Kathy Hochul said successful a February statement. "The brutal onslaught connected Mr. Brooks was sickening, and I instantly moved to terminate the employment of those involved. Now, the perpetrators person been rightfully charged with execution and State Police are making arrests."
Brooks' household has filed a civilian rights lawsuit, alleging excessive unit and a strategy that tolerates violence.
Jesse Zanger is the managing exertion of CBSNewYork.com. Jesse has antecedently worked for the Fox News Channel and Spectrum News NY1. He covers determination quality astir the Tri-State Area, with a peculiar absorption connected breaking quality and utmost weather.
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