Authorities say a Kentucky inmate died after collapsing while helping clear snow and ice at a state correctional facility, and his family is questioning why he was working outdoors during dangerously cold conditions.
In a news release, the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet reported that Marvin Knuckles died Tuesday, Jan. 27, at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex in West Liberty.
The Department of Corrections said a crew of inmates was removing snow and ice debris on facility grounds when Knuckles fell and suffered a head injury.
“Staff immediately transported Knuckles to Appalachian Regional Hospital, West Liberty where he succumbed to his injuries this morning around 7:30 a.m. EST,” the cabinet said.
Officials said the death was reported to Kentucky State Police, in line with Department of Corrections policy.
Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Keith Jackson called the incident a “tragic accident” and said the department would conduct “a thorough review” to help prevent similar incidents.
According to the cabinet, Knuckles was serving a 12-year sentence for drug-related charges, including trafficking and possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence out of Madison County.
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Opened in 1990, the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex is described as a medium-security institution with a population of 1,914.
In an interview with NBC affiliate WLEX, Knuckles’ family questioned why he was assigned to shovel snow and ice in the early morning hours after state officials had urged the public to avoid going outside due to extreme cold.
“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?” his sister, Rita Alexander, told WLEX.
Alexander said the family received few details directly from officials beyond notification that Knuckles had died, adding that much of what they learned came from the coroner’s office.
“He said my brother was pronounced dead at 7:39,” Alexander told WLEX, adding that she was told Knuckles had one visible injury above an eye. She also said she was told Knuckles was using a steel rod while clearing snow, but she did not know whether other inmates were working with him.
“The coroner told me he fell over a 40-foot embankment,” Alexander added.
She accused the facility of negligence, saying inmates should not have been outside clearing ice in subzero temperatures and should not have been working near a steep drop without safety measures.
In a statement Thursday, Jan. 29, a spokesperson for the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet said Knuckles had been assigned to the prison’s minimum-custody outside detail unit due to good behavior.
According to the spokesperson, inmates in the unit may work several jobs, and Knuckles had been assigned to the tree farm, road crew and special detail. When asked who could assist with the ice-removal assignment, the spokesperson said Knuckles volunteered.
The spokesperson said the incident involved an accidental fall down an embankment at the facility. Kentucky State Police were notified, an autopsy is pending, and the department is conducting a full review to determine whether relevant policies and procedures were followed.
Kentucky was hit by Winter Storm Fern over the weekend. The Lexington Herald Leader reported Wednesday, Jan. 28, that Lexington received 5.5 inches of snow, while Louisville and Bowling Green received 5.9 inches and 3.5 inches, respectively. The newspaper also reported that much of Central and Eastern Kentucky saw between 0.20 and 0.80 inches of ice, citing the National Weather Service.
As of Wednesday evening, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a social media post that power outages had fallen below 10,000 following the storm. He added in another post that the statewide total of storm-related fatalities stood at 11.
