Former Mid-State Officer Convicted as Robert Brooks Case Still Looms Over NY Prisons

A former correction officer at New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision has been convicted in the beating death of inmate Messiah Nantwi at Mid-State Correctional Facility, marking the first trial verdict connected to one of the most scrutinized prison abuse cases in New York in recent years.

The fatal beating of 22-year-old Messiah Nantwi (left) at Midstate Correctional Facility occurred in March 2025 just months after the December 2025 killing of 43-year-old Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility which sits down the street from Midstate.

A jury found former correction officer Jonah Levi guilty of manslaughter, gang assault and conspiracy in Nantwi’s March 1, 2025 death, while acquitting him of second-degree murder charges.

Prosecutors said Nantwi, 22, suffered catastrophic injuries after being brutally beaten by a group of officers inside the prison. According to court filings and testimony, officers punched, kicked and struck Nantwi with batons while he was restrained and no longer posed a threat. Prosecutors alleged Levi stomped on Nantwi’s head during the assault.

Nantwi later died from his injuries at a hospital in Utica.

The case drew statewide attention after authorities alleged officers attempted to cover up the assault by filing false reports, planting a makeshift weapon and cleaning blood from the scene.

Levi was the first officer to stand trial among 10 correction officers criminally charged in connection with Nantwi’s death. Several other former officers have already accepted plea deals on lesser charges, while additional trials are scheduled in the coming months.

“This verdict sets an important precedent — not just for Messiah, but for everyone who is incarcerated,” Nantwi’s father, Patterson Nantwi, said in a statement following the verdict.

The fatal beating occurred during a period of turmoil within New York’s prison system, as correction officers across the state engaged in an illegal wildcat strike over staffing shortages and working conditions. Mid-State was among the facilities heavily impacted by the labor unrest.

Nantwi’s death came just months after another high-profile inmate death at nearby Marcy Correctional Facility, where several officers were also charged in the fatal beating of inmate Robert Brooks.  

Following a jury trial, former Corrections Officer, David Kingsley was found guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. This marked the first time in New York State history that a correction officer was convicted and sentenced for the murder of an inmate. Five other former guards avoided trial by pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter.

The two cases intensified scrutiny of excessive force, accountability and body camera practices inside New York prisons.

Investigators said the probe into Nantwi’s death was complicated because several officers allegedly turned off or obstructed body cameras during the incident.

In addition to the criminal prosecutions, Nantwi’s family has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against prison staff and state corrections officials, alleging officers violated his constitutional rights and failed to intervene during the assault.

Levi faces between five and 25 years in prison on the manslaughter conviction. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.