Six prison workers have been charged with murder in the second degree in connection with the death of inmate Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility in December, according to a grand jury indictment unsealed Thursday in Oneida County Court.

Nicholas Anzalone, David Kingsley, Anthony Farina, Christopher Walrath, Mathew Galliher and an unnamed individual — all former corrections officers — are named in the indictment. They were also all charged with manslaughter in the first degree, the indictment says. They face a potential punishment of life in prison for those charges. All pleaded not guilty. Several others related to the incident also face charges.

It’s a day the Brooks family has been waiting for.

“Concern, a little uncertain," Brooks' father Robert Ricks said earlier on Thursday. "[It's] just a whole bunch of feelings. A whole gamut of feelings.”

Ricks arrived on Thursday flanked by supporters, both outside of court and inside.

But once in court, he and the rest of the family came face to face with the accused who are arraigned.

“Today, I witnessed over 10 New York correctional officers finally face crime charges," Brooks’ son, Robert Brooks, Jr. said. 

Brooks, Jr. spoke at a news conference following the arraignment of the defendants charged with taking his father’s life.

"I would never get my father back," he said. "The man had robbed me of that opportunity. Still, indictments are an important step towards accountability.”

The authorities filled in the details they could of the crime, the arrests and their thoughts on the family.

“I will clearly say here to the Brooks family and the community, I appreciate not only your strength and your composure, and essentially for having the trust in us that we would do what we could within our power to ensure that justice is served," New York State Police Superintendent Steven James said. 

“Honestly I think it’s very very gracious of Robert to speak in those terms," Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said. "You notice when he talked he talked about justice. He wasn’t talking about vindictiveness or vengeance.”

The family wants not only convictions, but permanent change.

“These men need to be prosecuted and convicted of the crimes they made," Brooks, Jr. said.