Fifteen correctional staff members have been suspended following the death of Messiah Nantwi, a prisoner at New York’s Mid-State Correctional Facility, Governor Kathy Hochul disclosed on Tuesday. The suspension came as state police initiated an investigation into Nantwi’s death, which occurred on Saturday. Hochul, a Democrat, emphasized her commitment to holding those involved accountable, describing the early findings of the investigation as “extremely disturbing.” She extended her condolences to Nantwi’s family and loved ones.
State police, alongside correctional officials, have so far refrained from disclosing specific details regarding the 22-year-old’s fatality, only confirming that he died at a Utica hospital. However, the New York County Defender Services, who represented Nantwi, claims he succumbed to a “violent senseless death,” purportedly inflicted by state correction officers. They characterized Nantwi as a bright individual with significant mental health issues stemming from a tumultuous upbringing.
Nantwi was accused by Manhattan prosecutors of two fatal shootings in Harlem last April. He allegedly shot Jaylen Duncan, 19, during a street encounter and killed Brandon Brunson, 36, the next day in a smoke shop dispute. Entering the prison system in May, he was serving a five-year sentence for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, linked to a 2021 incident where he exchanged gunfire with police, being wounded himself.
Governor Hochul expressed that Nantwi’s death underscores the necessity for substantial reforms within the state’s prison system. After a similar case in December leading to the death of Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility, she mandated several reforms. These included the implementation of body-worn cameras, enhancement of whistleblower hotlines, and the engagement of external experts to review the prison conditions. In Brooks’s case, six officers were charged with murder, and notably, Mid-State prison lies just across from Marcy prison.
In response to this latest incident, former inmates along with their families and supporters organized a demonstration at the State Capitol in Albany. Community organizer Thomas Gant, from the Center for Community Alternatives, commented, “This is not just about any one isolated tragedy. It is about generations of unchecked violence, racism, and impunity.” He called for systematic accountability, justice, and freedom, stressing that the prison system acts as a death sentence for too many individuals.
Governor Hochul also addressed corrections officers engaged in a prolonged wildcat strike over working conditions, urging them to resume duties as the unauthorized strike poses a “significant safety risk.” This strike began on February 17, and after negotiations, Hochul announced a binding deal requiring officers to return to work by the following Saturday to avoid disciplinary action.
Her administration remains dedicated to collaborating with Correction Officers to enhance safety and working conditions within the correctional environment while upholding the standards of responsible conduct.
