Christopher Walrath, a correctional officer at Marcy Correctional Facility, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the beating death of inmate Robert Brooks. The brutal attack occurred while Brooks was handcuffed and incapacitated, raising serious concerns about correctional practices. Walrath, along with other officers, participated in the assault, which was recorded on body camera footage. He admitted to using excessive force and lying about the incident. Following the plea deal, which was approved by Brooks' family, Walrath is set to be sentenced to 15 years in prison, significantly less than the life sentence he faced if convicted of murder.
"The reality is, [Brooks] did nothing. It was 'Welcome to Marcy. You were trouble over at Mid-State, you're not going to be trouble here.' And that's a problem that needs to be addressed now," Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said.
"Walrath admitted he left his post to participate in the beating, that he assaulted Brooks along with his fellow officers, placed Brooks in a chokehold during the incident..."
"If he had been convicted of second-degree murder, he could've faced life in prison. The judge indicated that Brooks' family has approved of the plea deal."
"Brooks had been serving a 12-year sentence for assault. He had been jailed since 2017 and had just been transferred to Marcy before the deadly beating."
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