ROCHESTER, N.Y. — There is a gathering at a Rochester city school Tuesday night in the name of Robert Brooks, who died after an incident involving correction officers at Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County.

The event is hosted by the City of Rochester Police Accountability Board and is taking place at East High School.

What You Need To Know

  • A forum is being held Tuesday in the name of the man who died after an incident involving correction officers at Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County

  • Robert Brooks' father speaks out about his hopes for the Police Accountability Board forum

  • The forum for Robert Brooks calls for change and accountability

It’s a call for change and accountability.

Robert Brooks’ father, Robert Ricks, describes his hopes for the event.

“I'm hoping that we can love up on one another, get some understanding and impart some clear, unconfusing messages, unify and move forward in a positive direction," he said.

Ricks is mourning the loss of his son.

Two months ago, the office of state Attorney General Letitia James released body camera footage of the Dec. 9 incident, which shows multiple correction officers hitting Brooks, 43, while he was restrained at the prison. He died the next day at a hospital in Utica, according to the state attorney general's office. Brooks was serving a 12-year sentence for stabbing his girlfriend in 2016.

Brooks' death has been ruled a homicide by the Onondaga County Medical Examiner’s Office, according to Brooks family attorney Steve Schwarz.

Schwarz says the medical examiner's report lists the cause of death as compression to the neck and blunt trauma to the body.

The PAB event is a community forum titled: “How Many More? A Call for Change, Action, and Accountability.”

Ricks is participating as a panel speaker.

Several days prior to the event, he spoke more about his son, who was eight years into his 12-year sentence.

“He was a loving [and] caring person," Ricks said. "Ask anybody who knew him. Ask anybody in his family. He was a giving person. He told me he was working on a book to help parents with wayward kids. He had gotten his sign language certificate. He had gotten his GED. He had taken horticulture classes and said that he liked it, even though he didn't think he would. [He] was taking maintenance classes, preparing himself to come home and live a good life.”

Ricks says he wants justice for his son but he also wants to see true change within the Department of Corrections.

There are currently two civil lawsuits filed on behalf of the family and a special prosecutor in Onondaga County working on the criminal case.

In addition to hearing from Ricks, people in attendance will listen to a panel discussion from local leaders and will watch performances by young people from Mentors Inspiring Boys & Girls, an organization run by Robert Ricks.

In recent weeks, leadership with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision say they are committed to preventing an incident like this from happening again. They also have said that they already have implemented changes, including increasing the supervision of officers.