Date of Offense
Official Statement
On March 1, 2025, Messiah Nantwi, a 22-year-old inmate at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy, New York, died following a series of violent assaults allegedly perpetrated by correctional officers. Subsequent investigations led to the indictment of ten correctional officers on April 16, 2025, with charges ranging from second-degree murder to evidence tampering.
Incident Overview
The initial confrontation began when correctional officers responded to an unspecified issue in Nantwi's cell. Despite Nantwi having his hands raised and displaying no weapon, he was forcibly restrained. During the restraint, he bit two officers, which allegedly escalated the situation. He was then subjected to multiple assaults: first in his cell, then in a stairwell while being transported to the infirmary, and finally in a holding cell. These assaults resulted in massive head trauma and numerous bodily injuries, leading to his death.
Legal Actions
The indictment charges two officers, Jonah Levi and Caleb Blair, with second-degree murder. Three others—Daniel Burger, Thomas Eck, and Craig Klemick—face first-degree manslaughter charges. Additional charges include gang assault, conspiracy, and evidence tampering. Some officers are accused of attempting to cover up the incident by falsifying reports and planting a weapon in Nantwi's cell.
Contextual Factors
At the time of the incident, New York State prisons were experiencing a three-week unauthorized strike by correctional officers protesting working conditions. This strike led to staffing shortages and the deployment of National Guard troops to maintain order. Nantwi's death is the second inmate fatality in the region within a few months, following the death of Robert Brooks at the nearby Marcy Correctional Facility in December 2024.
Official Responses
Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the incident, labeling it a "horrific crime" and initiated the termination process for the involved officers. She emphasized the need for safety and accountability within correctional facilities citeturn0search7. The New York Attorney General's Office recused itself from the case due to potential conflicts of interest, appointing Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick as the special prosecutor.
Background on Messiah Nantwi
Nantwi was serving a five-year sentence for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon related to a 2021 incident involving an exchange of gunfire with police officers. He had also been implicated, though not charged, in two separate homicides in 2023.
This case has intensified scrutiny of New York's correctional system, highlighting concerns about inmate safety, staff conduct, and institutional oversight.
The following is a detailed enumeration of the ten correctional officers indicted in connection with the March 1, 2025, death of inmate Messiah Nantwi at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy, New York. The charges stem from allegations of excessive force and subsequent efforts to conceal the incident.
Officers Charged with Second-Degree Murder
- Jonah Levi
- Second-degree murder
- First-degree manslaughter
- First- and second-degree gang assault
- Conspiracy
- Offering a false instrument for filing
- Caleb Blair
- Second-degree murder
- First-degree manslaughter
- First- and second-degree gang assault
- Conspiracy
- Offering a false instrument for filing
Officers Charged with First-Degree Manslaughter and Related Offenses
- Thomas Eck
- First-degree manslaughter
- First- and second-degree gang assault
- Conspiracy
- Offering a false instrument for filing
- Tampering with physical evidence
- Craig Klemick
- First-degree manslaughter
- First- and second-degree gang assault
- Conspiracy
- Offering a false instrument for filing
- Daniel Burger
- First-degree manslaughter
- First- and second-degree gang assault
- Conspiracy
- Offering a false instrument for filing
Officers Charged with Second-Degree Manslaughter
- Francis Chandler (Sergeant)
- Second-degree manslaughter
- Conspiracy
- David Ferrone (Sergeant)
- Second-degree manslaughter
- Conspiracy
Officers Charged with Evidence Tampering and Related Offenses
- Nicholas Vitale
- Tampering with physical evidence
- Conspiracy
- Offering a false instrument for filing
- Donald Slawson (Sergeant)
- Tampering with physical evidence
- Conspiracy
- Offering a false instrument for filing
- Michael Iffert (Sergeant)
- Tampering with physical evidence
- Conspiracy
- Offering a false instrument for filing
All ten officers have entered not guilty pleas. The charges arise from allegations that the officers engaged in excessive force against Mr. Nantwi and subsequently attempted to conceal their actions through various means, including falsifying reports and tampering with evidence.
