UTICA, N.Y. (AP) — Ten New York prison guards were charged Wednesday in connection with the fatal beating of a 22-year-old inmate last month — including two charged with murder. It's the second time a group of correctional officers in the state was indicted for a death behind bars this year.
Messiah Nantwi, a prisoner at the Mid-State Correctional Facility, died March 1 from injuries he sustained in a series of beatings by guards that began in his room and continued even when he was lying handcuffed on the floor of the infirmary, the indictment says.
Six of the officers charged Wednesday were accused of assaulting Nantwi, while the other four were accused of participating in a cover-up that included filing false reports, plotting to plant a makeshift knife and cleaning up blood in Nantwi’s room in an effort to destroy evidence. All entered not guilty pleas.
Nantwi’s death came several months after Robert Brooks was fatally beaten at the Marcy Correctional Facility just across the street from the Mid-State prison. Six guards have pleaded not guilty to murder charges in Brooks’ death and other prison employees have been charged.
The Utica-area facility was one of many state prisons struggling to function during a three-week wildcat strike by guards upset over working conditions, which forced the governor to send in National Guard troops to maintain operations. Incarcerated people and their advocates complained that services and conditions deteriorated during the walkout, while the indictment notes the guards had little training on how to deal with prisoners.
Mid-State guards Jonah Levi and Caleb Blair are charged with second-degree murder. They and three others — Thomas Eck, Craig Klemick and Daniel Burger — also are charged with first-degree manslaughter. Two sergeants, Francis Chandler and David Ferrone, are charged with second-degree manslaughter, accused of doing nothing to stop the assaults while supervising.
Levi and Blair were part of an emergency response team called to Nantwi’s room to help National Guard members, the indictment says. At a news conference after the hearing, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said the inmate drew the Guard members' concern when he interjected into another inmate's effort to obtain medication and was resistant to a prisoner headcount.
Fitzpatrick said the situation had resolved itself by the time the response team arrived, but the correctional officers spoke with the Guard members for only a few seconds before entering Nantwi's room.
Nantwi's hands were raised when the officers first entered the room but he objected to being handcuffed for no apparent reason and grabbed a guard’s vest, the indictment says. Several guards immediately rained blows on his head and body using their fists, batons and boots, the document says. The attack intensified when Nantwi bit Blair and Eck on their hands well after guards began assaulting him, according to Fitzpatrick and the indictment.
Nantwi became unresponsive and guards transported him toward the infirmary, but he was assaulted a second time in a stairwell and “dumped in a holding cell at the infirmary and further assaulted” by Blair, the indictment says.
Fitzpatrick added that guards on the team were not wearing mandated body cameras, while others working there either turned off their cameras or “simply looked the other way.”
Guards met a local diner the next morning to develop and coordinate a false narrative, an attempt at an “amateurish and ineffective” cover-up, Fitzpatrick said.
Part of the cover-up involved taking a weapon that had been confiscated in an unrelated incident and planting it in Nantwi's room, the indictment alleges. Ferrone was caught discussing the weapon on a bodycam hanging up in the men’s room at the infirmary, it says. When he spotted the camera, he “uttered an expletive.”
In addition to the 10 guards, six other correctional officers agreed to cooperate with the investigation, Fitzpatrick said. Two will plead guilty to felonies and four will plead guilty to misdemeanors.
Prison officials said all 10 guards charged Wednesday have either resigned or been suspended without pay.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has ordered the commissioner to begin the termination process for workers involved in Nantwi’s death.
Nantwi entered the state prison system last May and had been serving a five-year sentence for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon related to an exchange of gunfire with police officers in 2021. He was shot multiple times, while the officers were uninjured.
Prosecutors in Manhattan say Nantwi shot and killed Jaylen Duncan, 19, on a Harlem street in April 2023. The following evening, they say, he shot and killed Brandon Brunson, 36, at a Harlem smoke shop after an argument.
Collins contributed from Hartford, Connecticut.
The Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy, N.Y. is shown on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 (AP Photo/Michael Hill)
The Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy, N.Y. is shown on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 (AP Photo/Michael Hill)
Arsenal ensured it will end the year top of the Premier League after beating Aston Villa 4-1 at home in a powerful statement win on Tuesday with all goals scored in the second half.
The fourth goal, scored by substitute Gabriel Jesus one minute after coming on, highlighted the depth of Arsenal's bench this season and coach Mikel Arteta jubilantly high-fived his assistants at the final whistle.
Victory moved Arsenal five points ahead of Manchester City, which plays at Sunderland on New Year's Day, and six points clear of third-place Villa.
Elsewhere, Chelsea drew 2-2 at home to Bournemouth; Newcastle won 3-1 at lowly Burnley; and Manchester United was held 1-1 at home to rock-bottom Wolverhampton.
Struggling West Ham drew 2-2 with visiting Brighton, and Everton won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest.
No Arsenal player is near the top of the scorers’ charts this season, yet sharing the goals around might just be the team’s strength.
Defender Gabriel Magalhães headed home early in the second half following a corner for set-piece specialist Arsenal, and midfielder Martín Zubimendi netted in the 52nd minute.
Winger Leandro Trossard curled in a fine third from the edge of the penalty area in the 69th and was involved in the fourth goal, curled into the same corner from almost the same spot in the 78th minute by Jesus after Arsenal had launched a superb counterattack from deep.
The win was even more impressive considering Arsenal was missing key midfielder Declan Rice with a knee injury and Villa was playing on the back of 11 straight victories in all competitions.
Gabriel nodded in from close range and was deemed not to have impeded Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez with his elbow.
Zubimendi finished confidently after captain Martin Ødegaard expertly won the ball in midfield and advanced before threading a perfect ball behind Villa’s defense.
Ollie Watkins grabbed an injury-time consolation for Villa.
Bournemouth's David Brooks netted early from close range after Chelsea failed to deal with a throw-in from the right.
Cole Palmer equalized in the 15th with a penalty awarded after a video review ruled that Antoine Semenyo’s knee had gone into the back of forward Estevão’s leg.
Midfielder Enzo Fernández gave Chelsea the lead midway through the first half, but Chelsea gifted Bournemouth an equalizer when a defender headed on a throw-in from the left and Justin Kluivert scored at the back post for 2-2.
Chelsea is fifth and level on 30 points with United in sixth.
Manchester United led through Joshua Zirkzee’s deflected strike in the 27th but Ladislav Krejčí equalized close to halftime for Wolves with a powerful downward header.
It was Wolves manager Rob Edwards' first point since taking charge in November.
Patrick Dorgu’s injury-time goal for United was ruled out for offside by VAR.
Yoane Wissa grabbed his first league goal since joining from Brentford as Newcastle moved into 10th spot.
Newcastle was 2-0 up inside seven minutes with Joelinton being set up from the left wing by Anthony Gordon and Wissa bundling in from close range following a goalmouth scramble.
Josh Laurent pulled a goal back for Burnley midway through the first half. Newcastle survived nervy moments before Bruno Guimarães sealed the win with an expert lob in stoppage time.
Next-to-last Burnley is two points behind West Ham in 18th.
Everton netted in the 19th when James Garner drilled in a low finish after being set up down the right by Dwight McNeil.
Garner then turned neatly in midfield before feeding Thierno Barry with a defense-splitting pass to make it 2-0 against Forest in the 79th.
West Ham took an early lead against Brighton when striker Jarrod Bowen latched onto Lucas Paquetá’s exquisite through ball from halfway and struck a low shot into the bottom corner.
Veteran forward Danny Welbeck equalized for Brighton from the penalty spot for his eighth goal of the season, and then hit the crossbar with a Panenka-style chipped penalty later in the first half.
Paquetá converted his spot kick with a staggered run-up in first-half injury time, but Joël Veltman equalized for Brighton in the 61st following a corner.
Defending champion Liverpool hosts Leeds on Thursday.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee celebrates after he scored the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Chelsea's Joao Pedro, top, helps Wesley Fofana stand up after the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Bournemouth in London, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's Gabriel, left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)
Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)
Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)
