State says inmate death was result of cardiac arrest

COXSACKIE, N.Y. >> Breaking from their practice of not commenting about inmate deaths, state prison officials are now saying a 24-year-old prisoner who died last week at the Greene Correctional Facility succumbed to an apparent “sudden cardiac arrest.”

In an emailed statement, state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) spokesman Thomas Mailey said additional information about the Feb. 11 death of Anthony Myrie was released in response to “the abundance of misinformation in circulation.”

Last Thursday, DOCCS’ only response to a request for information about Myrie’s death stated he died after “an incident involving several incarcerated individuals” at the medium security prison and was pronounced dead Monday, Feb. 11, at Albany Medical Center.

Both statements said Myrie’s cause of death was to be determined by the Albany County Coroner’s Office. That office could not be reached for comment Monday, which was a federal holiday.

Myrie was sent to Greene Correctional on Nov. 15, 2018, and was serving a seven-year sentence for attempted sale of a controlled substance in New York City, according to DOCCS.

Shortly after Myrie’s death, family and supporters, including Grammy Award-winning rap artist Cardi B and rap artist Meek Mill, began posting about the case on social media, some alleging he had been murdered at the prison. Those comments, and social media reaction to them, apparently were what led DOCCS to issue the statement about “sudden cardiac arrest.”

WRGB-TV 6 in Albany reported that state police briefly closed roads leading to the prison during a “peaceful protest” calling for answers about Myrie’s death.

According to Mailey, “Myrie was involved in a three-on-one fight with other incarcerated individuals in a housing unit of Greene Correctional Facility.” He said corrections officers responded, broke up the fight by issuing “verbal commands” and that “no officers used force at any time.”

Mailey said that, later that day, Myrie was examined by medical staff and found to have no injuries. He was taken to a “holding area” and was being interviewed when he complained of chest pain, collapsed and became unconscious and unresponsive, the spokesman said. He then was taken to Albany Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Mailey said.

Myrie’s is the second death following violence at the prison in a span of about three months.

On Nov. 13, 2018, Delmus R. Tanner Jr., 38, died due to “strangulation by another,” according to a death certificate provided to the Freeman by Tanner’s ex-wife Ashley Farrell of Orleans County.

Tanner’s death is being investigated by state police, who said it is likely to be presented to a Greene County grand jury within two weeks.

Tanner was serving time for trying to sell drugs in Orleans County. He began serving a five-year sentence in January 2016.