Messiah Nantwi's death at New York prison under investigation, 15 employees placed on leave, Hochul says
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered more than a dozen people to be placed on leave as the state investigates the death of Messiah Nantwi at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy, New York.
Hochul said it appears "extremely disturbing conduct" led up to his death last weekend.
"At my direction, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision has placed 15 individuals on leave in connection with the death of Messiah Nantwi, a 22-year-old individual incarcerated at Mid-State Correctional Facility. While the investigation into this incident is ongoing, early reports point to extremely disturbing conduct leading to Mr. Nantwi's death and I am committed to accountability for all involved," the governor said in a statement. "The people of New York extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Nantwi's family and loved ones."
State police and corrections officials have declined to provide details of the incident, other than to say the 22-year-old died at a hospital in Utica.
The New York County Defender Services, which had been representing Nantwi as he awaited trial in the killing of two men, said Monday he suffered a "violent senseless death at the hands of state corrections officers." Executive Director Stan German described Nantwi as a bright young man dealing with significant mental health challenges following a violent upbringing.
"Several months ago, I vowed that I would not allow violence to become normalized in our facilities. My commitment to this goal has never wavered. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Messiah Nantwi. But thoughts and prayers won't bring him back and they won't change anything within our facilities. It's on us to create a culture that isn't based in violence and respects the lives of everyone in our care," Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III said in a statement, adding, "This cannot continue and I will not allow these horrible acts to define us. It is time for this to end."
Manhattan prosecutors say Nantwi shot and killed 19-year-old Jaylen Duncan on a Harlem street in April 2023. The following evening, they say, he shot and killed 36-year-old Brandon Brunson at a Harlem smoke shop after an argument.
Nantwi had entered the state prison system last May and was serving a five-year sentence for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon related to an exchange of gunfire with police in 2021. At the time, he was shot multiple times, while the officers were uninjured.
NYS corrections officers still on strike in parts of state
His death was reported as the illegal prison guard strike continues at 32 facilities, mostly in western and upstate New York. The governor has deployed the National Guard to shore up staffing and maintain security, and prisons have been on virtual lockdown while all visitations are canceled. The state is taking steps to fire workers refusing to return, as well as canceling their health care and threatening charges.
"As I've said for weeks, my top priority is the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers involved in the correctional system, from civilian employees to National Guard to Correction Officers to incarcerated individuals. The ongoing illegal work stoppage is a significant safety risk, and I once again reiterate the need for Correction Officers to return to work," Hochul's statement continued. "My Administration remains committed to working in good faith with Correction Officers to improve safety and working conditions within the correctional system, but we will not compromise on the need for responsible, law-abiding behavior by every single person who walks into a DOCCS facility."
At least three other incarcerated people have died during the strike, though it's unclear if the work stoppage was a factor in their deaths.
Mid-State Correctional Facility is located across the street from Marcy Correctional Facility, where several officers were recently indicted on murder charges in the beating death of Robert Brooks Sr. last December. The 43-year-old had just been transferred to the prison and died the next day.
Hochul said Nantwi's death is a "reminder of the need for real systemic change," noting she mandated the use of body-worn cameras, expanded whistleblower hotlines and brought in outside experts to conduct a review of the prison system in response to Brooks' killing.
