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U.S. NEWS Monday 19 noveMber 2018
Prison inmate death after run-in with staff ruled homicide

By JOHN O’CONNOR Moss declined comment. to locate any members of
AP Political Writer So did Dr. Gershom Nor- Earvin’s family.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — fleet, the St. Louis foren- Hedden, Burnett, Haubrich
The death of an inmate sic pathologist who per- and Banta were placed
following an “altercation formed the autopsy with on administrative leave for
with correctional staff” at special agents from the FBI “violations of standards of
Western Illinois Correction- and Illinois State Police and conduct pending investi-
al Center in May has been a state police crime scene gation,” documents show.
ruled a homicide, accord- investigator attending. Hess declined comment on
ing to an autopsy report Neither FBI spokesman the officers’ current status
provided to The Associat- Brad Ware nor Hess would and would not confirm their
ed Press under a Freedom comment on the autopsy. suspensions were connect-
of Information request. “The IDOC (corrections de- ed to the Earvin incident.
Larry Earvin died from partment) has cooperated But in the department’s re-
blunt trauma to the chest fully with federal authorities sponse to the AP’s request
and abdomen, the death and, as per FBI policy, we for their disciplinary records,
certificate from Clinton are not allowed to discuss the department indicated
County in southern Illinois details regarding an inves- it was withholding relevant
said. The 65-year-old Earvin tigation,” Hess said in an documents because the
sustained 15 rib fractures email. “FBI is the primary investiga- This undated photo provided by the Illinois Department of
and two dozen or more In addition to the broken tive agency in this matter Corrections shows Larry Earvin, a former inmate at Western
abrasions, hemorrhages ribs and multiple abra- and has determined that Illinois Correctional Center in Mt Sterling, Ill.
and lacerations. Surgery sions which showed signs a release of these records Associated Press
to remove a portion of his of healing at the time of would jeopardize the inves- ment when contacted. the other correctional staff,
bowel appears to have fol- death, Earvin had pneu- tigation.” Messages left after calling Burnett, Haubrich and Ban-
lowed the injury, the report monia, a tracheostomy Hedden declined com- numbers associated with ta, were not returned.q
says. tube and a chest tube to
The FBI is investigating the drain fluids, all associated
May 17 incident at the pris- with chest trauma, accord-
on in Mount Sterling, about ing to Norfleet’s findings.
250 miles (400 kilometers) Under the heading “blunt
southwest of Chicago. Il- abdominal trauma,” the
linois Department of Cor- report says that a portion
rections officials declined of Earvin’s colon had been
to disclose details of the removed surgically and an
altercation. ileostomy bag installed for
At least four Western Illinois waste removal.
employees were placed In Earvin’s system were
on administrative leave morphine and Hydrocodo-
with pay on May 22, ac- ne for pain and drugs used
cording to documents for anxiety and depression.
provided under the Free- He also had severe nar-
dom of Information Act. rowing of the aorta, high
Suspended for allegedly blood pressure, cirrhosis
violating conduct stan- and Hepatitis C.
dards were correctional The death certificate indi-
Sgt. Willie Hedden, 40, of cates that Earvin was born
Mount Sterling; correction- in an unknown Mississippi
al Lts. Benjamin Burnett, 33, city. He was sentenced to
of Winchester, and Blake six years in prison in 2015 for
Haubrich, 30, of Quincy theft of merchandise un-
and correctional officer der $300 in Cook County.
Alex Banta, 27, of Quincy. His rap sheet also includes
Earvin was black. The race a seven-year stretch in
of the officers allegedly in- 2004 for aggravated arson
volved in the altercation is and previous convictions
uncertain. for retail theft, burglary,
Earvin, serving a six-year theft and attempted bur-
sentence for a Cook Coun- glary dating to 1984.
ty robbery and scheduled The AP has been unable
for release in September,
was airlifted to a regional
hospital after the incident ,
Corrections spokeswoman
Lindsey Hess said in July.
He died six weeks after he
was airlifted, on June 26,
at Centralia Correctional
Center, according to the
death certificate signed
by Clinton County Coroner
Phillip Moss.