Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP and Patterson Nantwi, the father of Messiah Nantwi, issued the following respective statements, as 12 jurors found former corrections officer Jonah Levi guilty of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree gang assault, second-degree gang assault, fifth-degree conspiracy, and first-degree offering of a false instrument for filing in connection with the death of Messiah Nantwi: 

“The loss of my son Messiah is a pain no parent should ever endure. He was loved by many, and he deserved to be treated with dignity and respect,” said Patterson Nantwi, father of Messiah Nantwi. “This verdict sets an important precedent — not just for Messiah, but for everyone who is incarcerated. No one should have to fear losing their life at the hands of those who are supposed to care for them.”

“We want to thank DA Fitzpatrick and his team for their commitment to justice in the horrific beating death of 22-year-old Messiah Nantwi,” said Earl S. Ward and Katie Rosenfeld, Partners at Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP and counsel for the plaintiff. “The jury’s conviction of former corrections officer Jonah Levi affirms what the evidence showed: Messiah was restrained and defenseless when officers beat him, while others stood by and failed to intervene to stop the fatal assault. The evidence also showed a coordinated effort to cover up the attack, including planting a weapon in Messiah’s cell to justify the use of force. As shocking as Messiah’s killing is, it is not an isolated incident — just three months earlier, another man, Robert Brooks, was killed by officers at Marcy Correctional Facility. These deaths reflect a disturbing pattern of violence and cover-ups in New York’s prisons that DOCCS has long ignored. We are honored to represent Messiah’s family in their continued pursuit of full justice and accountability.”

Press:
“A former New York prison guard is found guilty of manslaughter in an inmate’s fatal beating,” AP
“Father of Messiah Nantwi speaks after verdict in Jonah Levi trial,” Utica Observer
“Former correction officer convicted of manslaughter in Harlem man’s death,” Gothamist