By Anne Hayes
syracuse.com
UTICA, N.Y. ― A former supervisor from the Marcy Correctional Facility admitted Wednesday that guards had falsified other use-of-force reports before the fatal beating of Robert Brooks.
Glenn Trombly, a former sergeant, took the stand to testify against another former guard, Michael D. Fisher, who is charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection with Brooks’ fatal beating inside the prison on Dec. 9, 2024.
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Trombly agreed to testify against Fisher and other officers in exchange for a lesser sentence for his role in Brooks’ death. He was promised a sentence of no more than four years.
Like Fisher, Trombly never touched Brooks but he did not intervene and pushed other officers to file false reports.
During his testimony, Trombly admitted that officers at the prison falsified other use-of-force reports before Brooks’ assault. He did not give specific examples when he made the admission.
In Brooks’ case, Trombly said he had officers file several drafts of use-of-force reports and urged officers to “get their stories straight.”
He testified that he had the officers revise their reports because they needed to justify every injury Brooks suffered. He said he did not feed them a story.
He told the jury he falsified the report because he knew if they told the truth, everyone would get in trouble for their actions that night.
Trombly said that no one knew their body cameras, which were not activated, were passively recording video of Brooks’ assault.
The videos made it clear the reports had been falsified. Officers repeatedly punched and kicked Brooks in the groin, abdomen and face in the prison’s infirmary. He died hours later at a Utica hospital.
Trombly’s admission Wednesday supports allegations that Marcy had a “beat up squad” that regularly used excessive force on inmates.
Robert Kessler, another officer involved in Brooks’ death, was called by the defense to testify Wednesday. On cross-examination, he told the jury he had previously seen inmates beaten by officers in the same way Brooks had. He also testified that officers would lie about these beatings.
Trombly and Anthony Farina are two of four officers named in a lawsuit that alleges the prison had a “beat up squad.” In the Brooks’ case, Farina has pleaded guilty.
An inmate, William Alvarez, filed the lawsuit in February 2022 and alleged the guards regularly assaulted inmates.
Trombly, a more than 20-year veteran of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, was fired soon after Brooks’ beating was made public.
He is scheduled to be sentenced for second-degree gang assault after Fisher’s trial concludes.
Fisher is the last of 10 guards charged in connection with Brooks’ death to resolve his case. If convicted after trial, he faces 15 years in prison. The prosecution rested its case Wednesday afternoon.
Here is what has happened to the 10 corrections officers charged in connection with Brooks’ death.
- Nicholas Anzalone pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
- Anthony Farina pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
- Christopher Walrath pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
- Sgt. Michael Mashaw pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 3 to 9 years.
- David Walters pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 2 1/3 to 7 years.
- Robert Kessler . He pleaded guilty to second-degree assault. He was promised 5 to 7 years in state prison.
- Glenn Trombly pleaded guilty to second-degree gang assault. He was sentenced to 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 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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