UTICA, N.Y. — The defense for former Marcy Corrections Officer Anthony Farina sought to have the murder indictment against him dropped in Oneida County Court on Monday morning.

Farina is one of 10 officers involved in the beating death of inmate Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility in December 2024. He is facing charges of murder and manslaughter.

Farina's Attorney, James Riotta II, argued that Farina only meant to remove the pepper spray from Brooks' face and did not hurt him.

"When someone has been pepper-sprayed, they have to have the contaminant taken off their body and off their face," said Riotta. "What Mr. Farnia was attempting to do was use a sanitary wipe to wipe the face of Mr. Brooks, when inmate Brooks bit him. That was not, as portrayed by the state, some kind of m

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