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Overcast Long Beach inmate killed in fight at county jail
After incident, family and residents grieve, seek answers
A Long Beach man who was an inmate at the Nassau County Correctional Center in East Meadow was killed on Jan. 7 in an altercation with another prisoner. The incident stunned members of the man’s family, who are seeking an explanation of how it happened.
According to Nassau County police, Antwan Brown, 26, of Long Beach, got involved in a physical confrontation with a fellow inmate at 6:45 a.m. that day. Brown suffered several contusions and was later taken by ambulance to Nassau University Medical Center. He was pronounced dead about an hour after his arrival.
The other inmate, whose name had not been released as the Herald went to press, remained in custody, police said. Liz Loconsolo, general counsel for the Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, said that the case was being investigated.
“… [I]t’s actively under investigation by the Nassau County Homicide Squad,” Loconsolo said. “They have not concluded their investigation …”
Asked about the cause of Brown’s death, Loconsolo said, “That will be determined by the results of the investigation. My information is that the medical examiner’s office has not ruled officially on the cause of death …” She declined to comment on whether the other inmate would face criminal charges.
Brown was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree assault and second-degree attempted robbery after he allegedly assaulted and attempted to rob a woman in West Hempstead on Nov. 25, 2010. Police said that Brown, then 24, argued with the woman in the parking lot of a White Castle and attempted to take her bag, which contained $200. He repeatedly hit the woman in the head and face before he fled the scene, police said. He was arrested a short time later.
While in custody at the 5th Precinct, police said, Brown resisted verbal directions and struggled with officers, one of whom suffered facial injuries as a result.
Chris Munzing, a spokesman for Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice, explained that Brown pleaded not guilty at his 2010 arraignment, but did not post bail and had been held at the NCCC since then. “He was in jail, awaiting trial,” he said. “You’re not going to get a trial immediately. It’s a lengthy process.”
