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Officer Trial: Brutal Prison Beating Death Unfolds
30 Mar
Summary
- Messiah Nantwi died March 1, 2025, from severe blunt force injuries during an assault.
- Trial ongoing for corrections officers accused of murder and evidence tampering.
- Nurse's testimony contradicted by body camera footage regarding events.
Closing statements are expected Monday morning, March 30, in the trial of corrections officers accused in the death of inmate Messiah Nantwi. Nantwi died on March 1, 2025, following a violent assault by a Corrections Emergency Response Team at Mid-State Correctional Facility. He sustained multiple blunt force injuries, leading the Onondaga County Medical Examiner to rule his death a homicide.
The trial has featured testimony from corrections officers and a registered nurse. The nurse's account of events, including Nantwi's condition and the timeline of his transfer to the triage room, has been called into question. Body camera footage presented in court appeared to contradict some of the nurse's reported observations, such as Nantwi's alleged violent behavior and the exact times of events.
Investigators allege that after Nantwi's death, the involved corrections officers fabricated evidence and submitted false testimony. One of the officers, Jonah Levi, faces charges including second-degree murder and manslaughter. The ongoing trial seeks to establish accountability for Nantwi's fatal beating and the subsequent alleged cover-up within the correctional facility.
