One of the guards charged with murder in the deadly, caught-on-camera beating death of Robert Brooks at an upstate prison has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, according to the Associated Press and the Brooks family’s lawyer.
Christopher Walrath, 36, entered the plea Monday morning, the Associated Press reported. Under the terms of his plea agreement, he would serve a 15-year prison sentence. He's one of 10 people facing charges in connection with Brooks’ death, including six corrections officers charged with murder — and is the first of those charged with murder to take a plea deal.
The medical examiner’s office in Onondaga County ruled Brooks’ death a homicide earlier this year, following the release of body-camera footage showing as many as eight prison staffers repeatedly striking Brooks while he was handcuffed on a medical examination table.
Brooks died the day after the beating, drawing widespread protests and condemnations from state officials, including Gov. Kathy Hochul. The governor later replaced the superintendent of the medium-security Marcy Correctional Facility and directed officials to begin termination proceedings for 14 workers at the prison.
In addition to the six guards charged with murder, three other guards were charged with manslaughter for allegedly not stopping the beating, and another was charged with evidence tampering.
Walrath is the fourth person to reach a plea agreement overall, according to the AP. Plea offers were sent to all 10 defendants last month, Syracuse.com reported at the time.
Brooks pleaded guilty to stabbing an ex-girlfriend in 2016 and was in the middle of serving a 12-year prison sentence.
Brooks’ son, Robert Brooks Jr., said Walrath’s fate would now be in the hands of prison officials.
“This must be a terrifying prospect for him and his family, knowing what staff is capable of, and how little the system values the lives of incarcerated people,” he said. “I pray that Mr. Walrath has the opportunity in prison to rehabilitate himself, and come out a better man. This is what every single person in prison deserves, but it was viciously taken away from my father.”
Walrath’s lawyer did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
The union for state correction officers declined to comment because Walrath’s guilty plea effectively terminated him from employment and he was no longer a member, a spokesperson said.
In January, state Attorney General Letitia James recused herself and appointed Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick as special prosecutor. A spokesperson for Fitzpatrick did not return calls seeking comment.
In February, Fitzpatrick indicted the six former correction officers on murder charges, including Walrath, Nicholas Kieffer, Anthony Farina, Nicholas Anzalone, David Kingsley and Mathew Galliher. Michael Fisher, Michael Mashaw and David Walters were charged with manslaughter. Nicholas Gentile was charged with tampering with evidence.
Lawyers for the other defendants did not immediately return messages.
Prosecutors last month charged 10 corrections officers in the March death of Messiah Nantwi, a 22-year-old prisoner at the Mid-State Correctional Facility, which is across the street from the Marcy facility. Two of those officers were charged with murder and accused of beating Nantwi to death during the recent unauthorized prison guards' strike. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
This story has been updated with more information, and to correct the number of people charged in Robert Brooks’ death.
