Harlan County Sheriff's Office, Kentucky
End of Watch: Wednesday, March 20, 1940
Age: 54
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: March 20, 1940
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Acquitted
Deputy Sheriff Joseph Pruitt was beaten to death while attempting to arrest a fugitive who had escaped from the State Prison Farm at LaGrange.
Deputy Pruitt encountered the man at a hobo camp near a set of railroad tracks he was patrolling in Harlan. The man attacked him and beat him to death. The subject was later arrested by state patrolmen in Corbin, Kentucky. It is believed that he was acquitted of the murder charges, but returned to prison on larceny charges. He escaped from prison a second time on September 26th, 1945.
Deputy Pruitt was survived by his wife.