There was no idle chatter amongst the people in the gallery on Monday, just a tension in the air that only became thicker as the first corrections officer involved in the death of Robert Brooks was brought out before Judge Robert Bauer.
And this was just the pre-trial conference.
Five out of the 10 corrections officers had been previously charged with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter. Others had been charged with second-degree manslaughter, and one had been charged with tampering with evidence. All 10 officers pleaded not guilty.
As with any criminal court case, the defendant is offered a plea deal before the case goes to trial. The defendant chooses whether or not to take the deal, which usually results in a lesser sentence than the possible sentence if convicted.
The Robert Brooks case is no different. The 10 corrections officers received the contents of their plea deal at the pre-trial conference and will return to court at a later date and declare whether or not they accept it.
A look at plea deals
Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said plea deals are a common practice following Monday morning’s proceedings. The American Bar Association agrees, writing in a 2024 article that nearly 95% of state convictions nationwide result from plea bargains.
Fitzpatrick said that he couldn’t comment on the nature of the plea bargains, and the contents of plea bargains are rarely, if ever, known.
Defendant’s charges, next court dates
The following is a list of the 10 corrections officers, their charges, and the dates when they are due back in court.
Possible federal involvement
Fitzpatrick did say in court that he had been in contact with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
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“They are investigating this matter,” he said. “I’m not authorized to speak for the U.S. attorney, but I’ve spoken to the assistant U.S. attorney, who is handling the matter, and they are actively pursuing the case.”
Fitzpatrick would not comment any further after the pre-trial. The Observer-Dispatch has reached out to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York for comment.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Marcy corrections officers stand before judge for pre-trial conference in Brooks case
Reporting by Casey Pritchard, Utica Observer Dispatch / Observer-Dispatch
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