SCHENECTADY NAACP CONDEMNS PRISON VIOLENCE AND CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION FOLLOWING THE DEATHS OF ROBERT BROOKS AND MESSIAH NANTWI

SCHENECTADY, NY - The Schenectady NAACP is outraged by the violence within New York State prisons, which resulted in the deaths of Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility on  December 10, 2024 and, less than three  months later on March 1, 2025, Messiah Nantwi at Mid-State Correctional Facility. These deaths are not isolated incidents but part of a disturbing pattern of unchecked abuse, cruelty, and impunity that demands immediate intervention.

Robert Brooks, fully restrained and defenseless, was brutally beaten to death by 6 corrections  officers while other staff watched without intervening, an act captured on body camera footage. In March, 22-year-old Messiah Nantwi also died under suspicious circumstances, leading to the suspension of 15 employees . These killings highlight an ongoing crisis within the state’s correctional system.

We stand in full support of the New York State Conference of the NAACP and the actions taken by the Attorney General’s Office,however, statements alone are not enough. The Schenectady Branch of the NAACP urges:

1. Criminal accountability for all officers involved in these killings, with full transparency in the investigation and prosecution.

2. The immediate reinstatement and enforcement of the HALT Act to end inhumane treatment and excessive solitary confinement.

3. Independent federal oversight to address systemic abuse in New York State prisons.

4. Illegal strike by corrections officers, which endangers the safety and human rights of incarcerated individuals.

   
   

“These acts of brutality are not new, and they are not isolated, they are symptoms of a deeply inhumane system,” said Nikita Bowen-Hardy, President of the Schenectady NAACP. “The deaths of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi demand real accountability. Justice delayed is justice denied, and we cannot allow this cycle of violence to continue. These are not just tragedies; they are human rights violations.”

The Schenectady NAACP stands with the families of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi, as well as all impacted by violence and abuse within the prison system. We will not be silent.

For media inquiries, please contact NAACP2175@gmail.com

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