Bodycam footage shows the violent incident involving Robert Brooks. Photo: New York Attorney General's Office
Ten corrections officers have been charged in connection with the tragic death of Robert Brooks, an inmate who prosecutors say was brutally beaten while handcuffed at a New York State prison in December 2024.
Authorities have charged six officers—Nicholas Anzalone, David Kingsley, Anthony Farina, Christopher Walrath, Mathew Galliher, and an unnamed suspect—with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter. Additional charges include second-degree gang assault for Galliher and filing a false report for Anzalone.
Meanwhile, Michael Mashaw, Michael Fisher, and David Walters face second-degree manslaughter charges, and Nicholas Gentile is accused of tampering with physical evidence.
A Brutal Incident Behind Bars
On December 9, 2024, Brooks, 43, was transferred to Marcy Correctional Facility. According to court documents, while handcuffed, he was assaulted twice en route to a medical checkup by Anzalone, Walrath, and another officer. The violence escalated in the infirmary, where Brooks was allegedly beaten, choked, gagged, and kicked while barely resisting.
Prosecutors say that none of the officers intervened or sought medical help. Mashaw, who was the highest-ranking officer in the room, along with Walters and Fisher, allegedly stood by and did nothing. The charging documents also claim Walters told a nurse not to enter the emergency room while the assault took place.
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A Cry for Justice
New York Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the attack, stating, “Robert Brooks should be alive today. The brutal attack on Mr. Brooks was sickening, and I immediately moved to terminate the employment of those involved. Now, the perpetrators have been rightfully charged with murder, and State Police are making arrests.”
Brooks’ son, Robert, called the charges “a necessary and important step toward accountability.”
“These men killed my father, on camera,” he said in a statement. “Waiting for these charges has been incredibly hard. These men must be fully prosecuted and convicted. But even that won’t be enough—every person who allowed this system of violence to continue must also be held accountable. We won’t stop fighting for real change in our prison system.”
Cover-Up Allegations
Anzalone faces additional charges for allegedly filing false paperwork regarding the incident, while Gentile is accused of cleaning up Brooks’ blood to hide evidence.
According to Brooks’ family attorney, Elizabeth Mazur, bodycam footage shows the horrifying 10-minute attack, including an officer repeatedly stomping on Brooks with the heel of his shoe and another lifting him in a chokehold. The official cause of death was blunt force trauma and compression to the neck.
At the time of his death, Brooks was serving a 12-year sentence for stabbing a former girlfriend.
Mazur emphasized the difficulty of achieving justice in cases like this, saying, “Seeing these officers face charges is one piece of justice for the family. But they want real change to make sure this never happens again.”
