‘Mad at the system’; Son of Robert Brooks calls for prison reform after verdict in father’s death

Son of Robert Brooks calls for prison reform after verdict in father’s death

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ALBANY, N.Y. — Activists, including the son of Robert Brooks, rallied in Albany on Tuesday to call for Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign a prison reform bill.

The rally comes a day after one former prison guard was found guilty of murder and two others were acquitted in Brooks’ death. Bodycam video shows several corrections officers beating Brooks, an inmate, in a medical exam room in December at Marcy Correctional Facility.

Organizers say Brooks’ death and the death of Messiah Nantwi, an inmate at Mid-State Correctional Facility, highlight the need for increased accountability for prison staff. Robert Brooks Jr. shared his reaction to Monday’s verdict, saying he’ll keep fighting for systemic change.

“We got one guilty on all charges and two acquitted. I feel, as in the people that were acquitted, they were doing what their supervisors told them to do. And so I can’t be totally mad at them, but I’m more mad at the system that allows that to go on,” Brooks Jr. said.

The activists are pushing Hochul to sign a bill part of the “End Prison Violence” campaign. The bill includes 24/7 fixed cameras in common areas of prisons and would require prison staff to notify family within 24 hours of an inmate’s death. In addition, the measures aim to expand prison oversight organizations such as the State Commission of Correction and Correctional Association of New York.

Hochul’s office stated that she’s reviewing the bill and is committed to significant prison reforms, but did not provide specifics.

In total, 10 guards were indicted in Brooks’ death, five of whom pleaded guilty to manslaughter and one to evidence tampering. The last guard, Michael Fisher, will go on trial in January on his first-degree manslaughter charge.