Activists repulsed, but not surprised by violence against inmate 

Activists repulsed, but not surprised by violence against inmate

Community advocates and lawmakers on Friday swiftly condemned the actions of corrections officers shown on videos beating an inmate at Marcy Correctional Facility. 

Ta-Sean Murdock, director of operations at the Center for Law and Justice, said their initial reaction was that the actions were irreprehensible and inexcusable. However, he does not believe violence against incarcerated people is an isolated incident.  

“I think there’s many incidents that we’re not hearing about. We know from families who come into our office on a regular basis that they are aware of situations where their loved ones have also been abused and mistreated by corrections officers — only to have a deaf ear turned to them by the Department of Corrections,” he said.  

Jose Saldana, the director of the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign, and Jerome Wright, co-director of the Halt Solidarity campaign, released a joint statement. They said: “This video is repulsive and criminal, and New Yorkers can no longer look away. Robert Brooks was sentenced to 12 years, but a mob of prison guards resentenced him to death. We are beyond outraged but not surprised.”

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie called the incident “deeply disturbing.”  

“Mr. Brooks was shackled and defenseless, but that didn’t stop corrections officers from administering a brutal and extended beating that can only be described as torture,” said Heastie.