Roll of Honor
Incident
Special Deputy Jessie Pace was shot and killed as he and a group of 12 other deputies attempted to serve warrants at the Black Mountain Coal Company that had been the scene of a strike for two months.
The deputies had arrested one person when they observed a group of approximately 30 people standing near by. One of the men in the group started to walk towards a coal car and Deputy Pace followed him. As the man walked around the coal car, he suddenly opened fire on Deputy Pace, striking him in the abdomen. Other deputies returned fire and wounded the suspect. The suspect, along with 12 other miners, were charged with murder. The man charged with shooting Deputy Pace was acquitted at trial.
Three weeks later, Special Deputies Jim Daniels and Arthur Lee of the Harlan County Sheriff's Department were shot and killed during a confrontation over the same strike at the same mine. National Guardsman were then sent in to restore order which caused the strike to collapse a month later.
Special Deputy Pace was survived by his wife and three children.
Survivors
Special Deputy Pace was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-8791AEA2- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Deputy Sheriff Pace served with the Harlan County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Harlan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Deputy Sheriff Pace.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Deputy Sheriff Jessie J. Pace is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 22.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Harlan County Sheriff's Office, 36 of 36 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jessie J. Pace's cause is highlighted.
How Jessie J. Pace Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jessie J. Pace is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
35 officers from Harlan County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
