Originally published in the Summer/Fall 2025 edition of the Virginia Defender, issue 77, printed December 11. Reproduced here for accessibility and archival purposes. To find other stories in the Summer/Fall 2025 issue or to download the full PDF, see this post. For other issues dating back to 2012, see the Full Issues page.

By Phil Wilayto

Until Nov. 17, it had been 50 years since a Virginia prison guard had been killed by an inmate. According to the Virginia Department of Corrections, that changed when a corrections officer was severely injured by an inmate at the River North Correctional Center in Grayson County in Southwest Virginia. The guard later died of his injuries.

On Dec. 5, after hearing concerns from prisoners and their family members about what happened at River North, the Defender sent the following email to Kyle Gibson, VADOC’s chief communications officer:

Mr. Gibson,

I am writing to ask VADOC to comment on the following:

According to VADOC, on Nov. 17, Corrections Officer Jeremy Lewis Hall was severely injured at the River North Correctional Center and later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Inmate John Holomon Russell, ID #1464965, is said to have attacked CO Hall, causing his injuries.

It is alleged that inmate Russell was beaten by other COs after the alleged attack.

Another River North inmate, Kenneth Drexel Evans III, ID #1446064, is said to have witnessed the alleged attack while locked in a nearby cellblock. It is alleged that Inmate Evans was later taken out of his cell, beaten by COs, strapped into a chair equipped with a shock belt and shocked twice, causing him to pass out. He also is said to have been tased multiple times.

Both Russell and Evans have since been transferred to Red Onion State Prison.

These are my questions:

Has VADOC charged Inmate Russell with any infraction related to the death of CO Hall?

Was Inmate Russell beaten by COs after the alleged altercation with CO Hall?

Is it correct that, after the alleged altercation between Inmate Russell and CO Hall, that Inmate Evans was taken out of his cell, beaten by COs, strapped into a chair equipped with a shock belt and shocked, causing him to pass out, and also tased?

Has VADOC charged Inmate Evans with any infraction following the death of CO Hall?

Why was Inmate Evans transferred to Red Onion?

I would appreciate receiving your answers no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

Thank you.

Phil Wilayto

Editor

The Virginia Defender

As of noon on Wednesday, Dec. 10, there has been no response from VADOC.

If any of our readers has any information about this matter, they are asked to contact us at: Defenders, PO Box 23202, Richmond, VA 23223; email: DefendersFJE@hotmail.com; phone or text: 804.644.5834.