An investigation is underway following the death of 22-year-old inmate Messiah Nantwi at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Upstate New York.
Nantwi, who had been serving a five-year sentence for criminal possession of a weapon since May, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
New York State Police and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, which has led to 11 staff members being placed on leave.
Governor Kathy Hochul described the situation as “deeply troubling.” Reports from nine inmates allege that Nantwi was brutally beaten by corrections officers, though these claims have not been independently verified.
The state’s attorney general’s office is conducting a preliminary assessment, and the cause of death has yet to be disclosed.
All fatalities within DOCCS facilities are also reviewed by the New York State Commission of Correction.
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