The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has decided to step back from its assessment and investigation concerning the death of Messiah Nantwi at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy, New York. The incident occurred on March 1, 2025, involving corrections officers.
In accordance with New York County Law 701, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) sought a special prosecutor through a motion filed in Onondaga County Supreme Court. The court has appointed Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick as the special prosecutor for this case.
The Attorney General is responsible for representing state employees, including corrections officers, under New York Public Officers Law 17 in legal matters connected to their official duties. These cases are managed by OAG’s State Counsel Division. Under New York Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI carries out preliminary assessments of incidents where a police officer or peace officer may have caused a person's death by act or omission.
During routine checks for potential internal conflicts that might affect future investigations' integrity, OSI identified four corrections officers involved in Mr. Nantwi’s case who are also defendants in other matters handled by attorneys from OAG’s State Counsel Division.
Consequently, OSI will not continue its investigation into the events leading up to Mr. Nantwi's death and will transfer all records from its preliminary assessment to the District Attorney’s office immediately. The State Counsel Division will not represent the Department of Corrections or any involved corrections officers during the District Attorney’s investigation.
This decision does not imply any stance regarding the guilt or innocence of any party involved in this criminal matter or whether any individual may face charges.