Former Prison Guard Faces Murder Trial Over Inmate's Fatal 69-Blow Beating
A former prison guard from upstate New York is currently on trial for murder, accused of repeatedly stomping on the head of a 22-year-old inmate during a vicious beating by a group of guards. The jury heard this harrowing account on Tuesday as the trial of Jonah Levi commenced.
Brutal Assault in Mid-State Correctional Facility
Jonah Levi is the first guard to face a jury trial after ten were indicted in April last year in connection with the death of Messiah Nantwi. The fatal incident occurred at the Mid-State Correctional Facility on March 1, 2025, a period when the state prison system was grappling with a wildcat strike by guards.
Prosecutors detailed that Nantwi suffered a staggering 69 separate blows from guards who used their fists, boots, and batons in a series of relentless beatings. Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, serving as special prosecutor, informed jurors that investigators collected DNA evidence from boots taken from Levi and a second guard, who is also facing a top charge of second-degree murder.
"With utter depravity and recklessness, you will hear eyewitness testimony that Jonah Levi multiple times stomped Messiah Nantwi on the head. And pathetically, his brother officers did nothing," Fitzpatrick stated in his opening remarks.
Prosecution and Defence Clash Over Events
According to the prosecution, Nantwi died due to massive head trauma and other severe injuries sustained during the beatings. However, Levi's defence attorney, Lewis G. Spicer, argued that the use of force was justified given Nantwi's aggressive behaviour. Spicer contended that Levi did not employ any force that resulted in Nantwi's death, asserting, "Mr. Levi was doing everything he was supposed to do."
The defence portrayed Nantwi as the initial aggressor, claiming he was high on synthetic marijuana and fought back against the guards. Spicer accused prosecutors of presenting an "extremely sanitized" version of events, while prosecutors alleged that guards falsely claimed a makeshift knife had been recovered as part of a cover-up effort.
Broader Context of Prison Violence and Strike
Nantwi's death occurred several months after Robert Brooks was fatally beaten at a separate prison located just across the road from Mid-State. Prisoner advocates argue that these two incidents highlight a pervasive culture of violence by guards within New York prisons.
Furthermore, the fatal beating took place as New York prisons were struggling to function during a three-week wildcat strike by guards, who were protesting over working conditions. This unrest forced the governor to deploy National Guard troops to maintain order.
Levi was part of an emergency response team summoned to Nantwi’s room to assist National Guard members who had requested backup after Nantwi became uncooperative during a prisoner headcount. Fitzpatrick noted that the situation had already been resolved by the time the response team arrived.
Prosecutors claim that several guards initiated the beating after Nantwi refused to be handcuffed and grabbed a guard’s vest. The violence escalated when Nantwi bit a guard's hand. "He’s dead because he protested cuffing up and because he tried to bite someone's finger," Fitzpatrick told the jury.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
In addition to murder, Levi faces charges including first-degree manslaughter, first-degree gang assault, second-degree gang assault, fifth-degree conspiracy, and first-degree offering a false instrument for file. While more than half a dozen other guards have pleaded guilty to lesser charges related to the incident and alleged cover-up, Levi is the first to stand trial before a jury.
Unlike the earlier beating of Robert Brooks, which was captured on body cameras, video footage is expected to play a minimal role in this trial. Prosecutors allege that some guards involved in Nantwi’s death were not wearing mandated body cameras, turned them off, or deliberately looked away.
Background of the Inmate
Messiah Nantwi entered the state prison system in May 2024, serving a five-year sentence for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. This charge stemmed from an exchange of gunfire with police officers in 2021, during which Nantwi was shot multiple times while the officers remained uninjured.
Prosecutors in Manhattan have also linked Nantwi to two separate homicides. They allege he shot and killed 19-year-old Jaylen Duncan on a Harlem street in April 2023, and the following evening, killed 36-year-old Brandon Brunson at a Harlem smoke shop after an argument.
