James Cockrill

Jackson Police Department — Jackson, KY

Felonious

End of Watch July 22, 1902

Age 26

The Vigil Panel 18 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Marshal James Cockrill was shot and killed from ambush from a second floor window of the court house as he stood in front of a store. His murder resulted from trouble caused by the "Hargis Cockrill Feud" His murderer was Curt Jett, "Wild Dog of the Mountains".

In 1901 Marshal Cockrill and his brother, also a policeman, attempted to arrest a local judge and his brother who were drunk inside a liquor store. When they resisted arrest gunfire erupted and the brother was killed. Marshal Cockrill's brother was jailed for murder but acquitted at trial. After the trial a local doctor who testified in his brother's behalf was assassinated. Days later Jett assassinated Marshal Cockrill. Jett escaped into the mountains. On May 4, 1903, a local prominent attorney was assassinated in the same place where Marshal Cockrill was killed. Curt Jett and another man were apprehended and charged with his murder.

Curt Jett was convicted of the attorney's murder and Marshal Cockrill's murder, and sentenced to death. His companion was sentenced to life. He was paroled January 4, 1917. Months later Jett's sentence was commuted to life. Jett said that the judge hired him to kill Marshal Cockrill and the Sheriff and another man helped him escape. He said he killed the attorney because had interfered with the trial and was interfering with situations which were of special interest to prominent men, some who were involved in the feud. Jett was paroled December 13, 1918.

The judge was charged with murder, and the sheriff with aiding and abetting. Both were eventually acquitted. Both were convicted in a civil suit and had to pay the attorney's wife $8000 in 1907.

For the sake of time and space the "Hargis Cockrill Feud" has a lot of information about it on the internet which will shed more light on Marshal Cockrill's murder, the trials, and the feud.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-KY-CCAB2CF9
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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Town Marshal Cockrill served with the Jackson Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Jackson community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Town Marshal Cockrill.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Jackson Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Jackson, KY

Platform Identity jpd.mercer.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 22, 1902

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Town Marshal James Cockrill is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,787 officers honored here.

In KY, 756 of 984 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 76.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Jackson Police Department, 5 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Jackson Police Department

of 5 officers

100% Felonious

KY — Statewide

756

of 984 officers

76.8% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,787 officers

0% Felonious