Robert Brooks Family Files Lawsuit In Death

The family of Robert Brooks, a Rochester man who died following a beating by officers at Marcy Correctional Facility, has filed a civil lawsuit. Brooks, 43, died one day after the incident, which was captured on body-worn camera footage. Brooks’ younger brother, Jared Ricks, and Brooks’ son, Robert Jr., emotionally addressed reporters Wednesday. The federal complaint demands a jury trial and compensation for punitive damages. “My brother had done eight of the 12 years that he was sentenced to as seen fit in the eyes of the law, but the 17 individuals at Marcy Correctional Facility gave him a death sentence, and that’s just not fair,” Ricks said. Both relatives had pins with Brooks’ face on their chests. “This is to show our support, and feel like I have a piece of him, with me at all times,” Brooks Jr. said while pointing at the pin. “Also all these cameras in here… I want the world to see his face. Always”

A close up of the pin Robert Brooks’ son and brother are wearing.
Brooks’ son told me he wants the world to see his father’s face. pic.twitter.com/wiGx885Wq0

— Natalie Calzetoni (@natcalztv) January 15, 2025

The complaint detailed the graphic body-worn camera footage released by the state attorney general’s office. It alleges “excessive force” by at least 17 defendants and claims that the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) leaders knowingly “maintained a broken system that tolerates violence against incarcerated individuals.” Brooks Jr. recalled the first time he watched the video of the beating. “I felt helpless, like I was there with him and there was nothing I could do,” Brooks Jr. said. “I wouldn’t wish this nightmare on anyone.”

Attorneys for the family plan to file a separate action against the state in the court of claims. “Although the video of Robert’s killing is extremely difficult to watch, it holds a mirror up to the violence and abuse Marcy prisoners face on a regular basis,” Elizabeth Mazur, an attorney with Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd., said. “It shows what Marcy correctional officers will do when they believe no one is watching.” Stephen Schwarz, an attorney for Faraci Lange, LLP, is also representing the family. Both law firms handled the case of Daniel Prude in 2020.

Source: 13 WHAM-TV