Incident
Deputy Cole and Deputy James Smith were shot and killed while attempting to serve warrants on a father and son involved in a previous murder. When the two deputies approached the family's home the suspects opened fire, killing both deputies. The previous murder was at the strike where Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff B. W. Pearce was killed on July 15. Both suspects fled into nearby hills where the father was located by a posse. He was later tried for murder and acquitted. The son gave himself up to the Birmingham Police on May 7, 1897. In 1898 the charges were dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
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- August 2, 2026
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Tributes
132 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Cole served with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Birmingham community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has lost 24 officers; 15 of them killed feloniously.
Charles is one of 405 officers killed feloniously in AL, 63% of the 643 remembered there.
Charles is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Charles is one of 17,631 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 52% of the 33,917 remembered here.
33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1894, 3 officers at Jefferson County Sheriff's Office were killed feloniously, more than in any other year.
In 1894, 5 officers in AL were killed feloniously, the 19th heaviest of 131 years on record. The heaviest was 1918, with 10.
In 1894, 70 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 103rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1894, 72 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 104th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
When
July holds 33.3% of these deaths at Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, more than any other month. Tuesdays: 20%.
July holds 7.4% of these deaths in AL; September holds the most, 9.9%. Tuesdays: 15.1%.
July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.
July holds 9% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Tuesdays: 13.3%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 62.5% of all 24 deaths at Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 40% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 63% of all 643 deaths in AL, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 23.5% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 52% of all 33,917 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 20.4% of these deaths.
His people
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has 24 officers remembered here, Charles among them.
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Robert King Vann Sep 27, 1889
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B. W. Tierce Jul 15, 1894
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Charles M. Cole Jul 24, 1894
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James Walton Smith Jul 24, 1894
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Robert W. Warnock Nov 27, 1898
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Robert Gardner Jul 17, 1908
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Otha Zeiglar Dent Aug 9, 1908
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David Olius Battle
Dec 25, 1910
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James Crawford Bonner
Sep 26, 1913
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Robert Smith Feb 6, 1922
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Jesse G. Thomas Feb 20, 1922
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Samuel Lewis Williams Oct 11, 1927
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Harry B. Lamb
Jul 17, 1928
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Milton F. Ferguson Sep 1, 1943
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Dewey Rickles
Apr 14, 1948
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Phillip Samuel Feld Jul 16, 1980
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Charles Ivan Baker Nov 21, 1981
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Volmer Durwood Owen Sep 4, 1986
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Donald Lawrence Cokeroft
Sep 17, 1988
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James Felton Judd
Jul 14, 1993
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John Henry Kennedy, Jr.
Jul 14, 1993
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William Gerome Hardy
Jul 19, 1995
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Henry Lloyd Brooks
Jan 18, 1997
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Willie Earl Hall
Sep 14, 2021
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 26-E
Others Who Wore This Badge
23 officers from Jefferson County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.








