Death by Cop 2026
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Marcus Anthony Burks
Age : 39
Gender : Male
Race : Black
Date : 01/02/2026
Location : State Route 17K and Broadway area
City : Newburgh
County : Orange
State : New York
Agency : New York State Police, City of Newburgh Police Department
Officer(s) :Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Asphyxiation
Event : Died during arrest
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 01/01/2026, a New York State trooper attempted to stop Marcus Burks for an alleged nonworking headlight on Route 17K. Police escalated a chase and later said they discontinued it because of speed concerns. A short time later, Burks crashed on Broadway after striking another vehicle and a utility pole.
After the crash, officers from the New York State Police and City of Newburgh Police Department pulled Burks from the vehicle and restrained him face down on the pavement. Body camera footage released by the family’s attorney shows Burks repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe” while officers held him prone on the ground. Police used pepper spray and at least one Taser during the restraint.
Civil rights attorney Michael Sussman said the Orange County Medical Examiner ruled Burks’ death a homicide. According to the attorney and the autopsy findings described publicly, the death was attributed to three factors: prone restraint, pepper spray, and Taser use. The family and attorney accuse officers of suffocating Burks during the restraint after the crash.
The body camera footage reportedly shows multiple officers restraining Burks while he repeatedly stated he could not breathe. Sussman said Burks was seriously injured from the crash and needed medical treatment rather than force. The attorney compared the restraint to other nationally known in-custody deaths involving prone restraint and compression.
Burks was transported to Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His family said they were initially told he died solely from a traffic accident and that city police were not involved. The family has since filed notices of claim and is pursuing legal action.
The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation opened a full investigation after receiving the autopsy findings and body camera evidence. Two state troopers involved reportedly remain on duty during the investigation.
SOURCE LINKS :
Bodycam video:
https://hudsonvalley.news12.com/police-involved-death-of-marcus-burks-ruled-homicide-family-and-attorney-say
https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/attorney-general-investigating-death-marcus-burks-22218471.php
https://www.facebook.com/BlaiseGomez12/posts/autopsy-released-the-medical-examiner-says-marcus-burks-death-during-a-police-en/1495786085243611/