In a case that intensifies scrutiny of New York’s prison system, ten correctional officers from Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy are indicted in connection with the March 1, 2025, death of 22-year-old inmate Messiah Nantwi. Two of the officers, Jonah Levi and Caleb Blair, face second-degree murder charges, while five others are charged with first-degree manslaughter and gang assault. The remaining officers face charges related to covering up the incident, including filing false reports and tampering with evidence.
According to the indictment, the fatal encounter begins when Levi and Blair, part of an emergency response team, enter Nantwi’s cell following a minor disturbance. Despite Nantwi having his hands raised and being unarmed, the officers allegedly initiate a violent assault using fists, batons, and boots. The beating continues even after Nantwi is handcuffed and unresponsive, with further assaults occurring en route to the infirmary and again in a holding cell. The medical examiner determines Nantwi suffered massive head trauma and at least 69 additional injuries, resulting in his death.
Prosecutors allege that several officers attempted to conceal their actions by falsifying reports, cleaning up blood evidence, and planting a makeshift weapon in Nantwi’s cell. Body camera footage, including video from a device left recording in a restroom, reportedly captures conversations in which officers discuss covering up the incident. Special Prosecutor William Fitzpatrick, appointed due to the state attorney general’s recusal, is leading the case.
Governor Kathy Hochul condemns the beating as a “horrific crime” and announces the termination of all officers involved. This marks the second time this year that New York correctional officers are indicted in connection with an inmate’s death, following the fatal beating of Robert Brooks at the nearby Marcy Correctional Facility. Both cases unfold during a period of unrest in the state’s prison system, including a three-week unauthorized strike by correctional officers. The strike prompted the deployment of National Guard troops to help maintain order.
Messiah Nantwi was serving a five-year sentence for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon related to a 2021 incident involving gunfire with police. He had also been named, though not charged, in two 2023 homicides in Harlem. His death has prompted renewed calls for systemic reform within New York’s correctional institutions, including enhanced oversight, body-worn camera mandates, and improved mental health and de-escalation training for correctional staff.
Source Links:
https://apnews.com/article/new-york-prison-guards-inmate-death-5ec50359f3168e7115028c26784fc0af
https://www.reuters.com/legal/two-new-york-prison-guards-charged-with-inmates-murder-2025-04-16/
https://abcnews.go.com/US/prison-guards-indicted-connection-inmates-death-hochul/story?id=120861314
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/prison-guards-charged-in-messiah-nantwi-death/
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/10-guards-charged-over-fatal-beating-of-a-new-york-prisoner-including-2-with-murder
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york/guards-charged-fatal-beating-new-york-inmate-murder/6227856/
https://www.timesunion.com/capitol/article/prison-officers-identified-probe-messiah-nantwi-s-20239897.php
https://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/editorial-another-fatal-beating-20201847.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Robert_Brooks
https://youtu.be/1HZQZkpTRMo
