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A grand jury is hearing testimony today in connection with the death of Messiah Nantwi, an inmate at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy. Nantwi, 22, died on March 1 after an alleged violent encounter with prison guards. He was taken to Wynn Hospital in Utica, where he passed away. According to Times Union, the Justice Department is examining Nantwi's death as part of a civil rights investigation, alongside a similar case involving another inmate, Robert L. Brooks, who died in December.
Governor Kathy Hochul has expressed concern over the "extremely disturbing conduct" that allegedly led to Nantwi's death. Two prison employees have been suspended without pay, and 12 others are on administrative leave. The incident reportedly involved members of a Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT), who allegedly assaulted Nantwi without provocation. Nantwi's cellmate, the only witness, claims that guards beat Nantwi until he was unconscious and forced the cellmate to clean up the blood, as reported by WSYR-TV.
The grand jury proceedings are being led by Onondaga County District Attorney William J. Fitzpatrick, who was appointed as a special prosecutor. The investigation has been hampered by a lack of video evidence, as multiple officers allegedly turned off or covered their body cameras during the incident. This has led to plea negotiations with some officers present during the alleged assault.
The federal investigation is expected to coordinate with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, but any decision on federal charges will likely follow the state prosecutions. The case has raised concerns about inmate treatment and the use of force in New York state prisons, prompting Governor Hochul to deploy the National Guard to manage the facilities during a recent strike by corrections officers.