Senator Cordell Cleare participated in the NYU Evolving Justice community virtual town hall entitled “Robert Brooks and Justice for Incarcerated Individuals: An Intersectional Conversation and Call to Action.”
April 3, 2025
Screenshot of the panelists for Evolving Justice
MARCH 14th- 2025 - The event brought together advocates, policymakers, and frontline professionals to discuss urgent issues facing incarcerated individuals, particularly in the context of racial and social justice. A key focus of the discussion was the HALT (Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement) legislation, which aims to restrict the use of solitary confinement in New York’s correctional facilities, addressing the severe psychological and physical harm it causes.
"I understand," said Senator Cordell Cleare, "that people in our facilities deserve safety and deserve to go home unharmed. However, that is not an excuse for what happened to Robert Brooks. He was hand cuffed; he was incapable of doing anything to anyone. This type of brutality comes from one place, and that is hate. If this murder had been done to a dog, there would have been public outcry. Even if the dog had bitten someone, there would have been outcry. how did it take this number of people to kill Robert. This says something else about our society. It means you disregard Black lives, the lives of Black men. People are not thinking of Robert Brooks as a father, as a husband, as a person who is loved. And that must change."
To view the entire panel discussion please click the link below:
Zoom Link for Recorded Meeting
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