New York State to pay $24M settlement over fatal prison beating

New York State has agreed to a $24 million settlement with the family of Robert Brooks, an inmate who was beaten to death by correctional officers in 2024. The payout is reportedly the highest settlement on record in New York for a civil rights lawsuit involving a death in state custody.

Brooks was transferred to the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County in December 2024. Body camera footage captured officers punching, kicking, and choking him in the prison infirmary. Brooks died the following day, and his death was ruled a homicide. In the legal aftermath, one guard was convicted of murder, while six others pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

Governor Kathy Hochul described the incident as a tragedy and stated her commitment to reforming correctional facilities to ensure safety. State Senator Julia Salazar noted that the settlement, funded by taxpayers, serves as a recognition that the state failed to prevent the incident. The death previously triggered a three-week strike by correctional officers and led to legislative demands for increased surveillance and oversight within the prison system.