Four prison guards pleaded guilty Monday in the death of Robert Brooks, who was viciously beaten by a group of officers at an upstate New York prison last year.
Nicholas Anzalone and Anthony Farina both copped to first-degree manslaughter charges as part of a plea deal. The two officers were previously facing second-degree murder charges. They’ll both be sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Michael Mashaw and David Walters both pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter for standing by as Brooks was killed. Mashaw will get a three- to nine-year prison sentence, while Walters will be sentenced to anywhere between 30 months and seven years.
“It is important to us to see my father’s killers publicly admit what they have done and face severe consequences,” Robert Brooks Jr., the victim’s son, said in a statement.
Brooks, 43, was transferred to Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County on Dec. 9. He was brought to the prison infirmary, where numerous guards surrounded, punched, kicked, choked, dropped and manhandled him.
The assault was captured on bodycam footage and led to charges against 10 guards. Brooks died one day after the attack, and his death was declared a homicide in January.
Two of the 10 suspects had already cut plea deals prior to Monday. Christopher Walrath admitted to manslaughter in exchange for a 15-year sentence, while Nicholas Gentile pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence for cleaning up the scene. Gentile’s sentence was to resign from the state corrections department and receive a one-year conditional discharge.
Four other guards — David Kingsley, Mathew Galliher, Nicholas Kieffer and Michael Fisher — are set for trial beginning Oct. 6. Kingsley, Galliher and Kieffer are charged with murder.
With News Wire Services
