Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi
End of Watch: Friday, August 6, 1965
Age: 53
Tour of Duty: 19 years
Badge Number: B-13
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: August 6, 1965
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Charges dismissed
Investigator B. Cowart suffered a fatal heart attack after being assaulted by a prisoner at the Clay County Jail.
He was assisting West Point police officers with a civil rights march of students at Mississippi State University and was searching a student who had been arrested for blocking a sidewalk. The student suddenly spun around, grabbed Investigator Cowart, and pushed him to the ground. Investigator Cowart suffered a heart attack and was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The student was charged with manslaughter but the charges were later dismissed.
Investigator Cowart had served with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety for 19 years. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, and four siblings.