An outside review of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision found systemic safety, accountability and modernization problems after the killings of two incarcerated men at neighboring state prisons.
The WilmerHale report, released June 29, examined DOCCS patterns and practices after the December 2024 death of Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility and the March 2025 death of Messiah Nantwi at Mid-State Correctional Facility.
What prompted the review
Brooks died Dec. 10, 2024, after he was beaten by correction officers at Marcy while other officers and staff failed to intervene, according to the report. His death was ruled a homicide.
The report said body camera footage released by the New York Attorney General's Office showed Brooks being beaten in the infirmary while handcuffed and showed that use-of-force reports filed afterward were false.
Nantwi was beaten to death by correction officers at Mid-State on March 1, 2025, during an illegal correction officer strike, according to the report. The report said the indictment alleged officers and sergeants conspired to cover up the killing by cleaning blood, coordinating stories, planting a weapon and filing false reports.
Key findings
The review found that both incarcerated people and DOCCS staff feel unsafe in the prison system. It identified poor relations between incarcerated people and security staff, an "us versus them" mentality, staffing shortages, contraband and gang activity as major safety concerns.
The report also found that DOCCS training is outdated and insufficient for current prison conditions. It said the training academy relies heavily on a paramilitary, classroom-based approach and that on-the-job training does not provide enough continuing education for correction officers.
Investigators also identified roadblocks to accountability for staff misconduct, including challenges substantiating misconduct, difficulty imposing meaningful discipline, limited review of uses of force and staff performance, and insufficient oversight of body-worn cameras, fixed cameras and chemical agent use.
Records and oversight lag behind
The report said DOCCS recordkeeping is outdated, with key systems for grievances, medical and mental health records and performance evaluations largely paper-based, siloed and kept at the facility level.
That lack of systemwide data limits the agency's ability to identify use-of-force hotspots, problematic employees and other trends, making DOCCS reactive rather than proactive, the report said.
Recommended changes
The report makes 57 priority, short-term and long-term recommendations. They include creating a chief risk officer position, improving early warning systems, expanding camera oversight, updating training, reviewing every severe use-of-force incident at the agency level and strengthening protections against retaliation for complaints.
The report also recommends giving the DOCCS commissioner explicit authority, through a transparent process, to discipline or terminate employees for serious misconduct. Other recommendations call for better staff wellness supports, more programming and recreation, improved medical and mental health care coordination, and modernization of grievance and health record systems.
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