North Carolina Department of Public Safety - Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice, North Carolina
End of Watch: Thursday, December 28, 1939
Age: 65
Tour of Duty: 6 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: December 28, 1939
Weapon Used: Blunt object
Suspect Info: Executed
Correctional Officer James Chesser was bludgeoned to death by two inmates while making his rounds of the death row cell block at the Central Prison.
The inmates bound and gagged him and then beat him to death during an escape attempt. Both inmates were subsequently executed in February 1940 for their prior convictions.
Officer Chesser had served the North Carolina Department of Corrections for six months after retiring from the US Army with 30 years of service.