James Amos Meeks

Mississippi Department of Corrections — Jackson, MS

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch September 12, 1972

Age 42

The Vigil Panel 110 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Sergeant James Meeks was shot and killed by an inmate at the Mississippi State Penitentiary. The inmate had been assigned to a work detail at Sergeant Meeks' home, which was located inside the prison complex. The inmate had entered the home and locked Sergeant Meeks' wife and her two small children in a closet. When Sergeant Meeks arrived home at the end of his shift, the inmate attacked him, gained control of his service revolver, and shot him. His wife managed to kick the door open, saw he husband on the floor and called for an ambulance. She then found herself face to face with her husband's killer. He tied her up, threw her on her bed, and raped her. When he heard the ambulance he fled. He was apprehended a short time later by a state trooper and a correctional officer. The inmate, 23, who was serving a life sentence for the brickbat murder of a Chinese merchant in 1969, was convicted of first-degree murder and received another life sentence on March 1st, 1973. He was released in 2003. Sergeant Meeks was a United States Marine Corps veteran who served with the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MS-B065BCA6
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Sergeant Meeks served with the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Mississippi, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Mississippi Department of Corrections

Location Jackson, MS

Platform Identity mdcorr.hinds.ms.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 12, 1972

Age 42

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Released in 2003

Military Service

James Amos Meeks served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Sergeant James Amos Meeks 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 MS, 242 of 349 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.3% of this state's fallen. That is 15.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Mississippi Department of Corrections, 7 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.

Mississippi Department of Corrections

of 9 officers

77.8% Felonious

MS — Statewide

242

of 349 officers

69.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious