‘Gross and willful negligence’: River North employee warned leadership of safety issues before inmate killed officer

GRAYSON COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Before a corrections officer was killed by an inmate at River North Correctional Facility, a colleague warned the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) that understaffing was making it unsafe for employees.

"The Department of Corrections is the biggest facade in the state of Virginia," said Jacob Murray.

Murray shared his concerns through his resignation letter in July. Officer Jeremy Hall was killed in November. 

Murray had a 12-year career at River North, eventually becoming a supervisor to corrections officers. It was a job he liked that paid the bills. He said when he started, the leadership at the prison prioritized employee safety.

“Staff going home the same way they came to the facility that morning was always the end objective and the goal," he said. "You always knew that your safety was the number one priority for the 12 hour shift.” 

But after leadership changes he noticed a concerning shift, and said he isn’t the only one.   

“I was furious," Murray said when he learned Hall had been killed. "I was extremely disappointed.”  

Murray said he saw signs a tragedy like this would happen. 

“Something that should’ve been prevented, and easily prevented, wasn’t because- complete negligence is all it is," he told 8News. "It is gross and willful negligence that so many different supervisors- and I may be the only one that actually put it in an email, I may be the only one that it’s out in the public eye, but several captains, lieutenants, sergeants and even officers have went to the administration at River North and explained to them, ‘Hey, this isn’t safe.’”  

The email he's referring to is his resignation letter he sent to River North Correctional Center leadership roughly four months before Hall’s death there. 

Murray wrote that the prison is "headed down a dangerous path," and staff could be "severely injured if not killed."  He recalled feeling the impacts of understaffing issues.

“Sometimes 20 to 21 officers and that would be all I would have for 1,000 inmates," he said. "It really hit me that no longer was staff the priority at River North Correctional Center. I hadn’t felt like they were the priority in the Department of Corrections in many years.”

But this isn’t just an issue at River North. Just this week, we reported that nearly half of the staffing positions at Greensville Correctional Center stand vacant.

“We no longer have the ability to keep our staff safe," Murray said. "We no longer have the ability to manage and run the facility effectively." 

The widow of the corrections officer killed, Dawn Hall, is part of a lawsuit against VADOC leadership. She’s not asking for money, but for policy change. Murray said he will be a witness in that case.  

“River North always kind of had a way of  you know, feeling like home and making you feel safe and making you feel like regardless of whatever else went on in the department you were gonna be okay because you worked at River North," Murray said. "And then with the current administration that’s there, that’s not the case. And that was the moment that really kind of opened my eyes of, ‘Hey, you’re not the priority.”  

8News reached out to the VADOC about the lawsuit and Murray's claims. They said they cannot comment on active lawsuits. 

The full email sent by Murray is available below, with the redaction of personal information.

"Good afternoon all. After careful consideration I’ve have decided I will no longer be seeking further employment with River North Correctional Center effective immediately. This email is to serve as my final notice and to inform you I will perusing other options at this time. Although I am greatful for my time within the department and I owe a lot of thanks to a lot of good people. People who have challenged me guided me, and helped a young man grown not only in the department but in life, but Unfortunately the time has come where I do not feel that staff are the priority of RNCC nor are they within the DOC any longer. I can not and will not work somewhere that management’s personal achievements and statistics on audits and EWP’s supersede staff safety and morale. It is my personal belief along with several other staff and supervisors that RNCC is heading down a dangerous path with see staff severely injured if not killed, and I won’t be a part of such a grave failure in oversight. This has been a hard decision to make after almost 12 years in the department but one that I fell is best for myself and my family at this time. I harbor no ill intent towards anyone within the DOC but do hope that the administration sees their failures within the facility and improves them so that RNCC doesn’t continue losing staff and supervision, contributing to already unsafe conditions. My personal number is [X] if there are any questions or explanation is needed. I would also be happy to schedule and conduct an exit interview. Thank you."