Caucus Unveils Robert Brooks Blueprint for Justice & Reform
ALBANY, NY (June 6, 2025) –Today, the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus unveiled the Robert Brooks Blueprint for Justice & Reform, a comprehensive legislative agenda aimed at transforming New York’s correctional systems. As the 2025 legislative session nears its conclusion, the Caucus emphasized the necessity of enacting meaningful legislation now to address systemic patterns of abuse and violations of human rights in New York’s jails and prisons. The package centers on four key priorities for the Caucus, accountability, justice, rehabilitation, and safety.
"It is without question that Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi should both be alive today. Their lives were cut short by a system that has repeatedly failed Black and brown communities, a system that strips individuals of their agency and denies them the right to safety, justice, and redemption. New York State must take decisive action this session to end this cycle of harm, because accountability and justice cannot wait. The Caucus blueprint is not just an answer to some of the several issues plaguing our carceral system, it is also a reminder that inaction will only lead to more unjustified deaths in our state. I thank our Legislative Leaders for their commitment to this critical package of bills. Together, we will deliver real, transformative change for incarcerated New Yorkers and state employees in correctional settings.” said Assemblywoman Michalle C. Solages (D-Nassau County), BPHA Caucus Chair.
“What message are we sending if we fail to take any substantial legislative action after government employees murdered not one, but two individuals within the span of just a few months? When correction officers killed both Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi, it shed light on the decades of systemic abuse and violence taking place in our state prisons.” said Julia Salazar (D-Brooklyn/Queens), Chair of the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction. “I’m proud to stand with the Caucus on our Robert Brooks Blueprint for Justice and Reform package. This is a comprehensive package that, if passed, would increase accountability and oversight of our prisons, expand pathways toward release, and end the human rights violations taking place in our facilities. As we have one week left in this year’s legislative session, I urge my colleagues to remember the promises we made to the loved ones of Mr. Brooks and Mr. Nantwi. We must act quickly.”
“Clearly New York’s prison system is in need of major reforms that will reduce the violence in our correctional facilities and restore public confidence by making the system more transparent. We need to keep in mind that in the past six months two people were murdered while in state custody, and assaults and violence are an ongoing concern throughout New York’s prison system. The time to act is now, and as we head toward the closing days of session, I look forward to passing prison reform legislation that will save lives.”said Assemblyman Erik M. Dilan (D-Brooklyn), Chair of the Assembly Correction Committee.
Named in memory of Robert Brooks, a young Black man who was murdered by correction officers while in custody at Marcy Correctional Facility, the Blueprint serves as both a tribute and a call to action. In the months following the murder of Mr. Brooks, Messiah Nantwi, another young Black man, was murdered by correctional staff at Mid-State Correctional Facility. Their deaths are not isolated incidents – they reflect a deeper, ongoing pattern of abuse and a lack of overall accountability that puts both those in custody and correctional staff in harm’s way.
"The tragic deaths of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi are painful reminders of the systemic failures that continue to plague our correctional system. We cannot allow these injustices to go unanswered. The Robert Brooks Blueprint for Justice & Reform is not just a legislative agenda, it’s a moral imperative. It reflects our commitment to accountability, rehabilitation, and the fundamental human rights of every person, regardless of their incarceration status. We must act with urgency and purpose to deliver long-overdue change." said Assemblymember Demond Meeks (D-Rochester).
“Now more than ever, it’s vital for my colleagues and I to stand up and enact legislation that launches necessary change in New York’s correctional systems. The devastating and preventable death of Robert Brooks, as well as decades of brutality and neglect to prisoners, demand more than just words. These vulnerable communities demand action. The Robert Brooks Blueprint for Justice & Reform is crucial to addressing the human rights violations and abuses occurring in our state’s jails and prisons, with accountability, justice, rehabilitation, and safety at the forefront." said Assemblymember Gabriella A. Romero (D,WFP-Albany, Guilderland, New Scotland).
“New York’s prison system should be a stain on our collective conscience and an indictment of our state’s priorities. This package of bills comes too late for so many New Yorkers who have suffered through its systemic failures and cruelties. I stand in solidarity with those families and with my BPHA colleagues who have fought for years for this legislative package that addresses the pattern of abuse and moves us closer to accountability,” said Assemblymember Claire Valdez (D-Queens).
“Robert Brooks’ life and death was not in vain. He was a man and someone’s child. This Blueprint for Justice & Reform highlights what many of us in this body prioritize for the NYS Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus. This is a right to accountability, justice, rehabilitation and safety. We call on the Governor and DOCCS to strengthen its commitment to the men and women in our judicial system and to go further in protecting them.” said Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas (D-Brooklyn).
“For too long, New York State’s prisons have remained a space of systemic abuse. I am proud to support the Robert Brooks Blueprint for Justice & Reform legislative agenda to create systems of accountability, justice, rehabilitation, and safety in correctional facilities. Incarcerated individuals deserve protection and opportunities to transform under a system that supports their livelihoods and growth–by following this legislative agenda, we are setting an example for how we can transform systems of abuse to keep our New Yorkers safe” said Senator Samra G. Brouk (D-Rochester).
“The Robert Brooks Blueprint for Justice and Reform package represents a critical and urgent step toward addressing the ongoing crisis in New York’s prison system. Far too many people are suffering needlessly, and our justice system has lost the trust of New Yorkers. It is imperative that we take action and end the abuse, the brutality, and the systemic neglect. This package of bills offers a clear and comprehensive path forward—one that tackles the rampant violence and abuse behind prison walls, moves us closer to meaningful reform, and begins to rebuild trust with the families who have long borne the pain of a broken system. It is past time to break from the legacy of a slave-era prison system and embrace a model centered on rehabilitation, dignity, and justice,” said Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas (D-Queens).
"New York State must confront the ongoing crisis in our correctional system with urgency. The Robert Brooks Blueprint for Justice and Reform reflects our commitment to accountability, justice, and safety for all New Yorkers. It demands action now to end the abuse and systemic misconduct that have gone unchecked for far too long in New York’s jails and prisons.” said Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia (D-Bronx).
“The Robert Brooks Blueprint is more than legislation—it is a declaration that New York will no longer sanction silence in the face of brutality. Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi were not lost to isolated misconduct—they were casualties of a system that confuses punishment with safety and secrecy with order. This Blueprint is our legislative line in the sand. It demands oversight where there has been impunity, dignity where there has been degradation, and accountability where there has only been avoidance. This isn’t reform for reform’s sake—it’s legislation for life, for dignity, and for the humanity our system forgot.” said Senator Robert Jackson (D-Manhattan).
“The Robert Brooks Blueprint is a line in the sand. For too long, New York’s correctional system has operated in the shadows—unchecked, unaccountable, and inhumane. This blueprint demands that we end the cycle of abuse, restore justice, and bring light to the darkest corners of our state. True public safety is impossible without proper rehabilitation—systems that heal, not just punish. If we fail to act now, we are complicit in the suffering. Justice must not wait.” said Senator James Sanders Jr (D-Queens).
"Robert Brooks' death was not an isolated incident—it was one of too many examples of the systemic violence and lack of accountability inside our correctional facilities. The Robert Brooks Blueprint for Justice & Reform is our response to these injustices. My bills in the package would facilitate timely release of those who have served their time, ensure transparency inside prison walls, and confront the pervasive abuse taking place behind bars that too often goes ignored. We owe it not just to Robert Brooks, but to every person whose life and dignity has been dismissed behind prison walls. It is our responsibility to deliver real oversight, real safety, and real justice. This isn’t optional; it’s long overdue."said Assembly Member Catalina Cruz (D-Queens).
“What happened to Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi wasn’t accidental, it was systemic. These deaths are a direct result of a broken system designed to dehumanize and abuse Black and brown lives. We’re saying: no more. This legislative package demands accountability, oversight, and recognition of the humanity of every person behind those prison walls. Justice can't wait— not another year, not another life.”said Senator Kristen Gonzalez (D-Queens/Brooklyn/Manhattan).
“As a member of the BPHA Caucus, I strongly support efforts to advance accountability, safety, and fairness across New York’s correctional system. We must work to uphold the dignity and human rights of all individuals, while ensuring that our justice system protects the public and fosters rehabilitation.”said Assemblyman Lester Chang (D-Brooklyn).
"New York cannot keep pretending incarceration is justice. Keeping people locked up forever does not make us safer. It reflects an unwillingness to believe in growth, in healing, or in redemption. I support the Second Look Act, Earned Time Act, and Fair and Timely Parole because they recognize that people can change and deserve a real chance to come home. If we are serious about justice, that must include elders serving decades in prison, women in facilities that fail to protect them, and immigrants who are retraumatized after release. True safety means building bridges, not endlessly punishing mistakes. Albany cannot wait another year to act." said Assemblymember Emérita Torres (D-Bronx).
“I cannot stay silent while our correctional system continues to bury young Black and Brown men behind bars and too often in graves. The deaths of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi are not isolated tragedies; they are symptoms of a brutal, broken system that puts our families and our communities at risk. The Robert Brooks Blueprint for Justice and Reform is more than legislation. It is a lifeline. It is how we begin to break the cycle of violence and build a system rooted in accountability, humanity, and true rehabilitation. New York must act now. Our communities cannot wait.”said NYS Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda (D-Bronx).
“The deaths of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi are not isolated incidents — they reflect a broader pattern of abuse and a system that too often prioritizes punishment over rehabilitation. We’ve learned, time and again, that when systems fail to uphold human rights, they undermine the very safety they claim to protect. It’s time to confront this failure head-on.”said Senator Nathalia Fernandez (D-Queens).
"The death of Robert Brooks was not just a tragedy—it was a damning indictment of a correctional system that continues to fail in its most basic responsibility: to protect human life. Robert’s death, followed by that of Messiah Nantwi, shines a light on the systemic abuse and lack of accountability that persists in New York’s jails and prisons. These were not isolated incidents; they are part of a broader, deeply entrenched pattern that demands bold legislative action. As a proud member of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus, I stand in full support of the Robert Brooks Blueprint for Justice & Reform. This package reflects our commitment to accountability, justice, rehabilitation, and safety—core principles that must guide how we address the deep-rooted failures in our correctional system. We cannot wait for another tragedy to act. The time is now to pass legislation that honors the lives lost and transforms our correctional system into one that values humanity, equity, and true justice." said Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman (D-Queens).
“Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi should still be alive. Their deaths are not isolated tragedies, they are painful reflections of a justice system that too often dehumanizes instead of rehabilitates. The Robert Brooks Justice Package is a step toward a system that sees people, not just charges; that prioritizes dignity, healing, and accountability over cycles of violence. The Earned Time Act (A1085) creates a meaningful pathway for redemption allowing incarcerated New Yorkers to earn time off their sentence through education, vocational training, and other positive programs. It recognizes that people can grow, change, and contribute when given the chance. The End Health Professionals’ Complicity in Torture Act (A8286), ensures that medical professionals are not complicit in the physical and psychological abuse of incarcerated people and protects them from retaliation when they seek justice for those abused under their care. It protects both the integrity of healthcare and the basic human rights of those in state custody. This legislation is about preventing future harm, restoring trust, and ensuring that the state does not answer suffering with silence or brutality. We owe it to Robert, to Messiah, and to every person caught in the grip of a system that has forgotten its obligation to humanity. We cannot undo what has been done but we can change what comes next.” said Assemblymember Dr. Anna Kelles (D-Ithaca)
“What the world saw in the video of guards and their supervisors viciously choking, kicking, and beating Robert Brooks to death in Marcy Prison was horrifying enough, but viewers were spared the worst part. Having survived 38 years in New York’s prisons, I’ve heard the crack of people’s bones being broken by guards on too many occasions. I thank the Caucus for their leadership in uplifting the needs of the communities they represent. Among other important priorities in their package, it is absolutely critical and urgent that lawmakers create fair pathways home with the Fair & Timely Parole and Elder Parole bills, along with common-sense sentencing reforms. This is the surest way to protect people from the culture of racist brutality in the state’s prison system. The legislature must pass these bills this session.” said Jose Saldana, Director of the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign.
“Robert Brooks’ murder was not an isolated incident,” said Thomas Gant, Community Organizer at Center for Community Alternatives. “Each additional year someone spends in a New York state prison is another year they are likely to face violence and torture. But we are not powerless. There is a path forward. If we want safety—inside and out—we must change that culture from one of perpetual punishment to one of change and transformation. The Second Look Act would give judges the ability to re-evaluate long sentences after ten years, to recognize transformation and growth. The Earned Time Act would restore the opportunity for people to earn time off their sentences through education, work, and growth. When people have real hope, prison culture changes. Violence goes down. Safety goes up—for everyone. Our Legislature must pass the Earned Time Act and the Second Look Act. Let’s stop the cycle of brutality and begin a cycle of healing. Let Robert Brooks’ and Messiah Nantwi’s deaths not be in vain.”
"We represent women who have been abused, dismissed, devalued, and denied their basic rights and humanity. For too long, their voices have been silenced. These bills are not just policy - they are a lifeline. They offer a path to justice, recognition, and healing for the countless women who have waited too long to be heard," said Donna Hylton, Author, CEO; A Little Piece of Light, Activist, Speaker, Survivor.
"I know firsthand how both law and culture functioned as powerful forces that silence women in the system while shielding sexual predators from accountability. As I see in my work, many women can't speak about their experiences for years after, let alone within 90-days of their abuse. They fear violence and retaliation if they were to speak up soon after. This is a human rights issue and reproductive rights issues. These women I support in my work lost their childbearing years to prison, and being sexually abused was another attack on their ability to make their own decisions about their bodies. Right now, our laws protect the perpetrator. I myself am a survivor who was able to seek justice through the Adult Survivor's Act, and I want others to be able to do the same with these Survivor Justice bills. We need a paradigm shift for women to come forward and bills like this to allow women to come forward", said Noah Batsheva, Founder; Imani Safehouse, Advocate, and Survivor.