Four former guards sentenced to prison in the fatal beating of Robert Brooks; 2 get 22 years

Utica, N.Y. ― Four former corrections officers were sentenced Friday for their roles in the beating death of an inmate in a state prison in Oneida County.

The four men ― Nicholas Anzalone, Anthony Farina, Sgt. Michael Mashaw, David Walters ― each previously pleaded guilty to participating in the fatal beating of Robert Brooks Sr. inside Marcy Correctional Facility on Dec. 9, 2024.

Anzalone and Farina, who pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, were sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Prosecutor Jarrett Woodfork said of all the defendants, Anzalone appears to be the one who “got enjoyment” in beating Brooks to death.

Mashaw and Walters pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. Mashaw was sentenced to 3 to 9 years. Walters was sentenced to 2 1/3 to 7 years.

Judge Robert Bauer addressed Mashaw directly, telling him that as the supervisor he held the responsibility to step in and stop the brutal assault.

Brooks Sr., 43, of Rochester, was repeatedly punched and kicked in the groin, abdomen and face by prison staff. He suffered massive brain trauma from multiple beatings and choked on his own blood, authorities said.

The officers’ actions were exposed by a “fail-safe” video recall system on four of their body-worn cameras. Despite none of the officers turning on their cameras, 30 minutes of video was recorded without audio.

The footage shows guards brutally punching, kicking and restraining Brooks.

Bauer said that of all the awful things he has seen and heard in his courtroom, he has never seen so many lives destroyed in a moment.

Prosecutor Jed Hudson said the officers’, specifically Walter’s, lack of reaction in the video shows this type of assault was routine for the officers at Marcy.

On Friday, Woodfork read statements from Brooks’ son, Robert Brooks Jr., and his brother, Jared Ricks, addressing the court and the former officers. Brooks and Ricks were in court.

Brooks Jr. wrote that watching the video of his father’s fatal beating was like watching a horror movie.

“I pray this case teaches others that they can’t treat incarcerated people like animals,” he wrote.

In his statement, Ricks said he hopes the “welcoming committee” shows the four defendants more grace when they arrive in state prison as inmates than they showed his brother in Marcy.

Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said Brooks Jr. and Ricks were not allowed to read their statements due to objections from all four defense attorneys after Fitzpatrick failed to file the required paperwork.

None of the defendants chose to speak before they were sentenced. Attorneys for three of the men told the court their character is not defined by the worst decision of their lives. Walters’s attorney told the court he had nothing more to say on behalf of his client.

Ten corrections officers were charged in connection with Brooks’ death.

• Christopher Walrath pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
• Glenn Trombly pleaded guilty to second-degree gang assault. He has not been sentenced but was promised no more than four years.

Three other former officers went to trial in October. All three men were charged with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter.

• David Kingsley was found guilty of both charges. He faces 25 years to life in prison.
• Mathew Galliher was acquitted of all charges.
• Nicholas Kieffer was acquitted of all charges.

The last guard, Michael Fisher, is set to go to trial in January for second-degree manslaughter.

Fitzpatrick said Friday Fisher’s defense will likely focus on his minimal involvement.

At the sentencing today, Bauer agreed with the prosecution that an officer not laying a hand on Brooks Sr. does not equate to innocence, Fitzpatrick said.