James Kenneth Embry
James Kenneth Embry, 57, was a heating and air conditioning repairman by trade. He died at the Kentucky State Penitentiary in January 2014 after refusing most food during a hunger strike that began in December 2013. An internal investigation found that medical staff failed to provide his anti-anxiety medication, did not check on him as his condition worsened, and did not follow hunger-strike procedures. The Lyon County coroner, Ronnie Patton, classified the death as a suicide, with dehydration as the primary cause, while the family's lawsuit says he died of starvation and dehydration after asking to be placed in segregation for fear of his safety.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). The coroner ruled the death a suicide from dehydration with starvation as a secondary cause, while the state's internal investigation found medical staff withheld anti-anxiety medication, did not check on him as he worsened, and did not move him to the infirmary, and the family's lawsuit says he died of starvation and dehydration.
Reported by: Lyon County coroner Ronnie Patton (medical examiner or coroner); Kentucky Department of Corrections internal investigation (the agency that held him); James Kenneth Embry's family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Prison Legal News, citing WDRB and court records (reporters); Associated Press (reporters).
Lawsuit: His family sued and the Kentucky Department of Corrections agreed to a $400,000 settlement in March 2019, which was not made public until 2020.