Attorney General James Releases Footage from Investigation into Death of Matthew Brown

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released body-worn camera videos that her office obtained as part of its ongoing investigation into the death of Matthew Brown, who died on March 25, 2025 following a March 24 encounter with members of the New York State Police (NYSP) in Oneida County.

At 11:14 p.m. on March 24, NYSP troopers responded to a house in Barneveld, Oneida County in response to a 911 call. When the troopers arrived, they talked with Mr. Brown and attempted to take him into custody for a mental health evaluation. A struggle ensued, and Mr. Brown was forced to the ground and handcuffed. The troopers called for an ambulance, but Mr. Brown became unresponsive before the ambulance arrived. Mr. Brown was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after 1:00 a.m. on March 25. 

The Office of Special Investigation (OSI) of the Attorney General’s Office released footage from body-worn cameras that troopers were equipped with during the incident. The release of this footage follows Attorney General James’ directive that camera footage obtained by her office during an OSI investigation be released to the public to increase transparency and strengthen public trust in these matters.

Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.

The release of this footage is not an expression of any opinion as to the guilt or innocence of any party in a criminal matter or any opinion as to how or whether any individual may be charged with a crime. 

Warning: These videos contain content that viewers may find disturbing.