By Anne Hayes
syracuse.com
UTICA, N.Y. ― A former supervisor from the Marcy Correctional Facility was sentenced Wednesday for his role in the fatal beating of an inmate and attempted cover-up.
Glenn Trombly was one of the few supervisors in the room when Robert Brooks, 43, was beaten to death inside the infirmary of the prison shortly after he arrived. An autopsy showed injuries to his head, neck, testicles, liver and spleen.
Trombly never touched Brooks but did not intervene as others brutally beat the man. He also admitted he had officers file several drafts of use-of-force reports and urged officers to “get their stories straight.”
Trombly, a former sergeant, was sentenced to two years in jail after previously pleading guilty to falsifying business records and second-degree reckless endangerment, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said.
Trombly was promised a sentence of no worse than four years in prison after agreeing to testify against his fellow officers. He testified in two separate trials.
He first testified against three officers - David Kingsley, Mathew Galliher and Nicholas Kieffer - two of whom were acquitted of all charges.
A few months later, he testified against Michael D. Fisher, who pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment and avoided prison time after the jury became deadlocked.
In both trials, Trombly downplayed his role. He said it was not him, but Sgt. Michael Mashaw who was in charge.
In Fisher’s trial, Trombly testified that guards had falsified other use-of-force reports before Brooks’ fatal beating. He did not give specific examples when he made the admission.
Trombly’s admission supported allegations that Marcy had a group that regularly used excessive force on inmates.
Trombly and Anthony Farina are two of four officers named in a lawsuit that alleges the prison had a “beat up squad.”
Trombly, a more than 20-year veteran of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, was fired soon after Brooks’ beating was made public.
Trombly is one of the last of the officers to be sentenced for his role in Brooks’ death.
Pleas, sentences for other guards in the Brooks case
Here is what has happened to the other corrections officers in connection with Brooks’ death.
- Nicholas Gentile pleaded guilty to attempted tampering with evidence. He was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge.
- Christopher Walrath pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
- Nicholas Anzalone pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
- David Walters pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 2 1/3 to 7 years.
- Anthony Farina pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
- Sgt. Michael Mashaw pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 3 to 9 years.
- Michael Fisher pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment. He was sentenced to six months in county jail.
- Shea Schoff pleaded guilty to official misconduct. He was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge.
- Robert Kessler He pleaded guilty to second-degree assault. He was promised 5 to 7 years in state prison.
Three other former officers went to trial in October. All three men were charged with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter, among other charges.
- David Kingsley was found guilty of both charges. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
- Mathew Galliher was acquitted of all charges.
- Nicholas Kieffer was acquitted of all charges.
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