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A federal lawsuit has been filed following the death of 22-year-old Messiah Nantwi, who was fatally beaten at the Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy on March 1. The lawsuit, filed by Nantwi's estate, names 18 correction officers and sergeants, along with Daniel F. Martuscello III, commissioner of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, and Mid-State Superintendent Bryan Hilton, as defendants. The lawsuit accuses them of failing to ensure that officers wore body cameras during the incident, among other allegations.
According to Times Union, Nantwi was beaten unconscious in his cell and later succumbed to his injuries at Wynn Hospital in Utica. The officers involved have been indicted on various charges, including murder and manslaughter. The lawsuit claims the officers either did not wear body cameras or turned them off to avoid recording the incident.
The Spectrum Local News reports that the lawsuit aims to address systemic issues of violence within New York state prisons. Attorney Katie Rosenfeld, representing the Nantwi family, stated, "Our state prisons should be a place where people are kept in safe custody."
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages and calls for changes in prison management to prevent future incidents. Nantwi's father, Patterson Nantwi, expressed his desire for justice and accountability, saying, "The loss of my son Messiah is a pain no parent should ever endure."
The CNY Central reported that the incident occurred amid a staffing crisis due to strikes, which led to the deployment of National Guard troops to assist in prison operations. Criminal proceedings against the officers involved are ongoing, with some officers accepting plea deals while others face trial.