UTICA, N.Y. (AP) — Four prison guards have pleaded guilty in connection with the death of a Black inmate, Robert Brooks, whose brutal beating while handcuffed at the Marcy Correctional Facility was captured on bodycam footage. This incident took place on December 9, 2024, and has sparked outrage and calls for reform within the correctional system.
The guilty pleas were announced just two weeks before the scheduled trial for a total of ten guards indicted in February. Among those still awaiting trial are three guards facing murder charges. The court proceedings have drawn considerable attention, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding the treatment of inmates in correctional facilities.
Two guards, Nicholas Anzalone and Anthony Farina, who had initially faced murder charges, pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of first-degree manslaughter. Both resigned from their positions, and under the plea agreements, they are set to be sentenced to 22 years in state prison on November 21, 2024.
Additionally, two other guards charged with second-degree manslaughter also entered guilty pleas. Michael Mashaw is facing a sentence ranging from three to nine years in prison, while David Walters is expected to receive a sentence between two years and four months to seven years. The status of Walters’ employment remains unclear, though Mashaw has also resigned from his position.
Brooks, who was serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault since 2017, had been transferred to Marcy from a nearby facility on the night he was assaulted. Disturbing footage shows him being struck in the chest with a shoe, being lifted by his neck, and then dropped to the ground, which has led to widespread condemnation and demands for accountability among law enforcement personnel.
The first plea deal in the case occurred in May 2024, when a guard charged with murder pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Christopher Walrath, who also resigned, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in August. Furthermore, another guard pleaded guilty in May to attempted tampering with physical evidence and was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge.
William Fitzpatrick, Onondaga County District Attorney, is serving as the special prosecutor in this case. He is also overseeing the prosecution of guards involved in another fatal beating of an inmate, Messiah Nantwi, which occurred on March 1, 2024, at the Mid-State Correctional Facility, also located in close proximity to Marcy. In that case, ten guards were indicted in April, with two facing murder charges.
Both Marcy and Mid-State Correctional Facilities are situated about 180 miles (290 kilometers) northwest of New York City, an area that has seen rising scrutiny regarding the treatment of inmates and the use of excessive force by correctional staff. The outcomes of these cases could have far-reaching implications for prison reform and accountability in New York State.
