Investigation Underway for Inmate's Death Linked to 15 Prison Employees

Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized the seriousness of the inquiry into Messiah Nantwi's death, aged 22, at a correctional facility in upstate New York. Initial observations indicate alarming behavior led to this tragic incident.

This Tuesday, Governor Hochul informed that 15 members of the New York corrections staff are on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the inquest into Nantwi’s demise, which occurred under grim circumstances at a medium-security institution.

Preliminary feedback portrays actions that raise substantial concerns regarding the care and handling of Mr. Nantwi at the Mid-State Correctional Facility located in Marcy, New York, close to Utica.

The reported fatality aligns with previous incidents, including Robert Brooks's death, aged 43, in December at a nearby prison facility. This tragic event involved 10 officers, six of whom face murder charges after being implicated through body camera footage that captured violent interactions with Brooks.

Nantwi's incarceration in New York began on February 17. This timeframe coincides with widespread strikes by correctional officers across numerous prisons, resulting in pervasive turmoil within the correctional system.

Aside from Nantwi’s death, seven other prison-related fatalities have been acknowledged, inclusive of suicides and instances where inmates lacked adequate medical attention promptly. Two such detainees, hospitalized at the Coxsackie Correctional Facility Regional Medical Unit, were noted: Robert St. Ives passed away at 71, and Zion Gregory at 25, both succumbing at the Albany Medical Center.