Former corrections officer sues special prosecutor, seeks $5 million over Brooks prosecution

Nicholas Kieffer, a former New York state corrections officer acquitted of criminal charges in the fatal beating death of inmate Robert Brooks, has filed a federal lawsuit seeking $5 million in damages, alleging an “ill conceived, ill intended” prosecution by William Fitzpatrick, who served as special prosecutor in the case.

Nicholas Kieffer was acquitted of criminal charges in the beating death of inmate Robert Brooks

Kieffer’s complaint, filed this week in federal court, accuses Fitzpatrick and the State of New York of malicious prosecution, defamation and negligence tied to the high-profile case that shocked the state and ignited calls for prison reform. His attorney said the prosecution lacked sufficient evidence and unjustly harmed Kieffer’s reputation and career.

The case stems from the highly publicized Dec. 9, 2024, beating death of Rochester native, Robert L. Brooks, a 43-year-old man handcuffed and restrained at Marcy Correctional Facility when he was assaulted by multiple corrections officers. Body-worn camera footage later released showed Brooks repeatedly struck, lifted by his neck and beaten while restrained, before dying early the next day at a nearby hospital. An autopsy ruled his death a homicide due to neck compression and blunt force trauma.

A grand jury indicted ten corrections staff in connection with Brooks’ death. Among those charged: six officers faced second-degree murder counts, and others were charged with manslaughter or related offenses.

• David J. Kingsley II — one of the officers tried alongside Kieffer — was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison.

• Anthony Farina and Nicholas Anzalone pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and received 22-year prison terms.

• Michael Mashaw and David Walters pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and received shorter prison terms.

• Michael Fisher, another defendant, entered a plea to a reduced charge of reckless endangerment after jurors deadlocked on more serious charges and is expected to serve a county jail term under a plea agreement.

• Kieffer and co-defendant Mathew Galliher were acquitted of all criminal charges but remain ineligible for rehiring under department policy.

The Brooks case was the first in state history to result in a murder conviction of a corrections officer for an on-duty killing. Prosecutors said evidence showed some officers actively participated in the fatal beating, while others failed in their duty to intervene.

Kieffer’s lawsuit now challenges the legal case itself, claiming constitutional violations and seeking compensatory and punitive damages. Fitzpatrick and state attorneys have not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit. Litigation over prosecutorial immunity and other defenses is expected early in the federal proceedings.