A former New York State Department of Corrections officer has been found guilty and two others were acquitted in the killing of Robert Brooks, an inmate at an upstate prison.
David Kingsley was found guilty of murder and manslaughter. He’ll be sentenced on Dec. 15. He faces 25 years to life in prison.
Matthew Galliher and Nicholas Kieffer were acquitted of all charges against them.
Brooks was beaten to death last December at Marcy Correctional Facility, about 180 miles northwest of New York City. He had been transferred to Marcy from a nearby lockup, and was dead within an hour of his arrival. The incident was caught on body-worn cameras. Those videos triggered widespread outrage.
Brooks was serving a 12-year sentence for assault after he was convicted of stabbing is girlfriend.
Brooks had been scheduled to be released in 2026.
Six guards indicted in February have since pleaded guilty.
“There is no justice in this verdict and no justice in this trial. Robert Brooks was murdered not just at the hands of these prison guards, but by a system of human caging that tears apart families and values brutal perpetual punishment over healing and transformation,” Center for Community Alternatives community organizer Thomas Gant said. “We must honor Robert Brooks by dismantling the conditions that made his killing possible and create fair pathways home for incarcerated people who have transformed while inside.”
“Today, a jury found one correction officer guilty while acquitting two others in the horrific murder of Robert Brooks. While I am disappointed by the acquittals, I respect the jury’s decision,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. “What happened to Mr. Brooks is unconscionable, and these verdicts serve as another sobering reminder of the needless losses of Mr. Brooks and Messiah Nantwi.”
“The vast majority of our correction officers do extraordinary work under difficult circumstances, and the actions of these individuals do not reflect the integrity and professionalism of the correction officers who continue to staff our facilities. Those responsible for reprehensible acts of violence must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, and that is exactly what my administration is committed to doing,” Hochul added. “My condolences are with his loved ones for the pain they have suffered and the loss they continue to endure.”
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