New York's top prosecutor on Thursday recused herself from investigating the 13 correction officers who were involved in the fatal beating of a handcuffed 43-year-old inmate in December.

New York Attorney General Letitia James resolved to bow out of heading the investigation of Robert L. Brooks' death, after determining a potential conflict of interest. Her office is representing four of the correction officers—Sgt. Glenn Trombly and Officers Anthony Farina, Nicholas Anzalone and Robert Kessler—in similar, excessive-use-of-force lawsuits.