Utica fire Chief Russell Brooks is back to Square One.
A motion to reargue his lawsuit against the City of Utica -- in which he claimed the city rejected an application for benefits offered to responders affected by health conditions related to 9/11 recovery efforts -- was denied Thursday in state Supreme Court in Rome.
Brooks has chronic lymphocytic leukemia. He is enrolled in the federal World Trade Center Health Program, which covers the fire chief's medical costs related to his certified World Trade Center-related illnesses.
Given that, Brooks said he only is seeking acknowledgement from the city that he is eligible for benefits.
"I want justice," he said. "Moreso, this will reflect on the firefighters that went down to ground zero on 9/11. At that time, some of them were very young and, to me, they're still young. They got cancers that young guys don't get. How can I not fight for myself and for them to get justice?"