AG’s Office aims to withdraw from defending corrections officers in four lawsuits
Department of Correctional Services (file photo)
ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York State Attorney General’s Office is working to withdraw itself from defending corrections officers in four separate lawsuits alleging abuse.
Those cases are unrelated to the death of Robert Brooks, the Greece inmate who corrections officers beat at Marcy Correctional Facility in early December. Brooks died the next day in the hospital.
Last week, AG Letitia James said her office would recuse itself from the investigation into Brooks’ death because of a conflict of interest. She said lawyers from the AG’s Office were representing four of the involved corrections officers on separate matters. James’ office appointed the Onondaga District Attorney as the special prosecutor.
“This decision was made with the utmost respect for the integrity of this investigation and we will ensure that there will not be any delays,” James said. “My Office of Special Investigation will hand over all records to the District Attorney’s office immediately.”
Thirteen corrections officers and a nurse have been suspended without pay or have resigned since Brooks’ death. Body-worn camera footage released in late December shows corrections officers hitting Brooks multiple times in a medical exam room.
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