The aunt of a 22-year-year old Mid-State Correctional inmate who died last week and prison reform activists spoke Friday, days after Gov. Kathy Hochul said it appeared “extremely disturbing conduct” led to the man's death.

The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) placed 15 individuals on leave in connection to the death of Messiah Nantwi.

In comments made to reporters Friday, Mayreni Lopez, the aunt of Nantwi, said that New York state had failed him.

“I was under the impression that New York state does not exercise death penalties. When did correction officers become judges and executioners?” Lopez said, adding “justice for Messiah.”

Due to a conflict of interest in the case, the state attorney general's Office of Special Investigations recused itself from the investigation, which has been turned over to Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick.

Mid-State is located across the street from Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County, where authorities say the use of force by correction officers led to the death of Robert Brooks in December. Fitzpatrick was the special prosecutor in that case, which resulted in six prison workers being charged with murder last month.

Activists have rallied around Nantwi's family since his death. They say a sentence to prison is not a death sentence.

A family spokesperson acknowledged the current strike and corrections officers calling for better working conditions, but said there are no excuses for the death of inmates.

“These incarcerated individuals need help. This young man was crying out for help, this young man was paying his debt to society,” said Rev. Kevin McCall, a spokesperson for the Nantwi family. “Did he do a crime? Yes. Was he paying his debt to society? Yes. But it doesn’t mean that his life should be taken.”

McCall went onto say the state should not be obligated to represent correction officers in incidents like these, noting this was the second time it had to recuse itself from such a case in just three months.

Spectrum News 1 reached out to Fitzpatrick and DOCCS for comment on the matter, but did not hear back as of Friday evening.

Earlier this week, the governor said Nantwi’s death is a reminder that systemic change is needed, like mandating the use of body-worn cameras, expanding whistleblower hotlines and bringing in outside experts for comprehensive reviews.