“10 New York Prison Guards Offered Plea Deals in Inmate Death Case”
Utica, New York – A special prosecutor announced on Monday that offers have been made to resolve the criminal cases against 10 prison guards indicted in the fatal beating of a handcuffed man. Six correctional officers were charged with murder last month in connection with the death of Robert Brooks, 43, whose brutal beating was recorded on body-worn cameras. Three other prison employees faced manslaughter charges, and another was charged with evidence tampering.
During a pretrial court conference, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick disclosed the offers, but did not provide specific details. The individual defendants are scheduled to appear in court in April to consider whether to accept or reject the offers. David Walters, charged with second-degree manslaughter, was reportedly offered a plea deal to plead guilty to the current charge with a recommendation for a mid-range sentence, as stated by his attorney Nick Passalacqua.
Fitzpatrick also mentioned that he has been in communication with federal prosecutors investigating Brooks’ death regarding the offers. The body-worn camera footage captured officers beating Brooks on the night of December 9 while he was handcuffed. The video shows officers hitting him in the chest with a shoe, lifting him by the neck, and dropping him. Brooks succumbed to his injuries the following day.
Brooks had been serving a 12-year prison sentence for first-degree assault since 2017 and was transferred to the prison where the incident occurred shortly before his death. Three other prison employees have reportedly reached plea agreements in connection with the case.
Fitzpatrick is also conducting an investigation into the death of Messiah Nantwi on March 1 at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy. A court filing by the attorney general’s office indicated that there is “probable cause to believe” that up to nine correctional officers may have been involved in or have knowledge of Nantwi’s death.
