David Kingsley, a former guard at the Marcy Correctional Facility, convicted of second-degree murder. He was also, on Dec. 9, convicted of first-degree manslaughter for participating in the fatal beating of inmate Robert Brooks. The ruling continues to be an important reminder during the ongoing federal investigation into New York’s prison system. After recent acts of violence, the concerns have turned to alarms about systemic problems in the industry.
The litigation revolved around the circumstances of Brooks’s death, which took place as he was shackled in a jail house infirmary. Graphic video evidence exposed the brutality of the incident, showing Kingsley choking and lifting Brooks off the ground during the arrest. Prosecutor William Fitzpatrick pointed out the fact that officers tried unsuccessfully to turn off their body-worn cameras, not knowing that they recorded everything that happened.
Kingsley went to court with fellow guards Mathew Galliher and Nicholas Kieffer. Although Kingsley was convicted, both Galliher and Kieffer were found not guilty on all charges. Defense attorneys maintained that they were just following prison protocols. Yet, Brooks’s family and public advocates disputed this narrative.
Brooks’s family released a statement expressing their disappointment over the acquittals but commended the jury’s decision regarding Kingsley. “The details that were laid bare about what happens in New York prisons should outrage everyone,” said Jared Ricks, Brooks’s brother. He underscored how the trial revealed a culture of violence and cover-ups within the corrections system.
Brooks’s death was indeed set in motion by his awful history. He had a prior conviction for the attempted murder of a girlfriend while on drugs. Even so, Ricks maintained that no one should receive that treatment. In 2018, ten guards were charged in connection with Brooks’s death, with six pleading guilty to lesser offences. A seventh officer is set to see trial in January.
Kingsley’s attorney Luke Nebush argued throughout the trial that his client was just doing his job. Ricks countered this claim, stating, “Mr. Galliher and Mr. Kieffer were doing exactly what their prison supervisors expected them to do. The guards indicted in this case were not a few bad apples; they were part of a rotten system.”
In light of the verdict, Brooks’s family vowed to continue advocating for reform within New York’s corrections system, which currently oversees 42 facilities housing over 30,000 inmates.
“During this trial, we heard the truth about what happens to people in New York prisons. We learned that violence and cover-ups are normalized within the state prison system.” – Jared Ricks
“I want to show my remorse to the family. What happened to them is not something that a family should go through.” – Nicholas Kieffer