NEWBURGH – The father of Marcus Burks, the 39-year-old man who died after a high-speed chase on Route 17K in the Town of Newburgh that led into the City of Newburgh late on January 1, wants to know what happened.
Burks’ father, former high school track coach Malcolm Burks, has hired attorney Michael Sussman.
The civil rights lawyer said what is known is that the younger Burks’ vehicle struck another car that was making a left turn from a business driveway in the area of 573 Broadway and then struck a utility pole, knocking it down.
At the time of the incident, city police said Burks was taken custody and became unresponsive.
Sussman wants to know what happened next.
“What followed the pole was some interaction with the police. We were unable to confirm anything about that interaction, whether weapons were used, whether a Taser was used, what happened. What we know is that Marcus Burks died on the way to the hospital; we have confirmed that with informed sources,” Sussman said. “But we don’t know why he died or how he died. An autopsy has been done. I sought the video from several adjacent locations, but the police already have the video.”
Sussman said the victim’s father, only surviving parent – his mother died weeks before – wants to know how and why his son died.
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