The Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet says inmate Marvin Knuckles died Jan. 27 after falling and suffering a head injury while part of an inmate crew clearing snow and ice at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex. Staff took Knuckles to Appalachian Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead in the morning. His family questions why he was assigned to shovel near a 40-foot embankment in below-zero, early-morning conditions. Authorities reported the incident to the Kentucky State Police and the cabinet pledged a thorough review.
Kentucky Inmate Marvin Knuckles Dies After Early-Morning Snow Removal; Family Demands Answers
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Marvin Knuckles, an inmate at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex in West Liberty, died Jan. 27 after suffering a head injury while participating in a work crew that was removing snow and ice on the facility grounds, officials said.
According to a news release from the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and the Department of Corrections, staff members transported Knuckles to Appalachian Regional Hospital, where he "succumbed to his injuries" in the morning. The cabinet said the incident was reported to the Kentucky State Police in accordance with corrections policy and that an internal review will be conducted.
Family Questions and Coroner’s Account
Knuckles' family has raised questions about why he was assigned to clear snow and ice in the predawn hours amid dangerously cold temperatures. In an interview with NBC affiliate WLEX, his sister Rita Alexander said she was told by the coroner that Knuckles was pronounced dead around 7:39 a.m. and that he had one visible injury above an eye. Alexander also said the coroner told the family Knuckles fell over a 40-foot embankment and that he had been using a steel rod while working, though she said it was unclear whether other inmates were nearby.
An Aug. 19, 2010 photo shows the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex, located on top of land which was once the site of a coal mine operation near West Liberty, Ky.AP Photo/James Crisp
"I want to know why my brother was out at one something in the morning shoveling ice and why with it below zero and why was he around a cliff where he could fall off or any other inmate?" Alexander asked.
Alexander accused the facility of negligence for having inmates working in below-zero temperatures near an embankment without visible safety measures such as fencing or protective gear. The cabinet said it will conduct a thorough review to determine what happened and how similar incidents might be prevented.
Context and Facility Details
Knuckles was serving a 12-year sentence on drug-related convictions, including trafficking and possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence in Madison County, the cabinet said. The Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex, which opened in 1990, is a medium-security institution with roughly 1,900 inmates.
The region had been affected by Winter Storm Fern over the weekend. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that Lexington recorded about 5.5 inches of snow and Central and Eastern Kentucky saw a measurable accumulation of ice, citing the National Weather Service. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear posted that storm-related power outages fell below 10,000 and said the state’s total storm-related fatalities had reached 11.
The death remains under investigation. The Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, the Morgan County coroner and the family did not immediately provide further comment to media outlets following initial reports.
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