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By Beacon Journal staff and wire services
POSTED: 07:20 p.m. EDT, May 02, 2009
The State Highway Patrol is investigating the death of a 39-year-old state youth corrections officer from Stark County.
Dead is William Hesson of Canton, who had worked at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Correctional Facility in Highland Heights for only a few months before he died late Wednesday after an incident involving a youth at the facility, according to the Department of Youth Services.
The department has not released any details about what led up to Hesson's death or what his injuries were, pending a ruling from Cuyahoga County Coroner Frank Miller.
Hesson was highly respected and very professional, said Sally Meckling, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association.
Meckling said the union is increasingly concerned about factors that are contributing to a volatile environment in juvenile detention facilities, including a large fight among inmates and the assault of a female officer in a cell, both at a center in Marion.
She believes an unchecked gang problem throughout the system and the impending closing of the Marion facility, which houses high-risk offenders, are leading to disruption and injury to staff.
All youths in state correctional facilities are being reclassified, and many are being sent to facilities with different levels of supervision. The reclassification is being done as part of a settlement of a lawsuit that challenged conditions in Youth Services facilities.
The youth involved in the altercation with Hesson had recently been moved to Highland Hills from another facility, Meckling said.
He is expected to be charged in Hesson's death, according to a law-enforcement source.
The Reed funeral home is handling arrangements for Hesson.
The State Highway Patrol is investigating the death of a 39-year-old state youth corrections officer from Stark County.
Dead is William Hesson of Canton, who had worked at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Correctional Facility in Highland Heights for only a few months before he died late Wednesday after an incident involving a youth at the facility, according to the Department of Youth Services.
The department has not released any details about what led up to Hesson's death or what his injuries were, pending a ruling from Cuyahoga County Coroner Frank Miller.
Hesson was highly respected and very professional, said Sally Meckling, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association.
Meckling said the union is increasingly concerned about factors that are contributing to a volatile environment in juvenile detention facilities, including a large fight among inmates and the assault of a female officer in a cell, both at a center in Marion.
She believes an unchecked gang problem throughout the system and the impending closing of the Marion facility, which houses high-risk offenders, are leading to disruption and injury to staff.
All youths in state correctional facilities are being reclassified, and many are being sent to facilities with different levels of supervision. The reclassification is being done as part of a settlement of a lawsuit that challenged conditions in Youth Services facilities.
The youth involved in the altercation with Hesson had recently been moved to Highland Hills from another facility, Meckling said.
He is expected to be charged in Hesson's death, according to a law-enforcement source.
The Reed funeral home is handling arrangements for Hesson.
Comments
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Akron , OH
Posted 08:09 PM, 05/02/2009
Our family's thoughts and prayers are with JCO Hesson's family.
Akron, oh
Posted 09:11 PM, 05/02/2009
Look at it America. Next time a police officer has to drop one of these jerks doing a crime. Don't put a Sunday communion suit on them and say how his mom says he isn't a bad boy just misunderstood. How the big bad cop had to use force to protect the citizens and himself.
Many of these juveniles should be in the adult system. They are very dangerous and spontanios in their actions.
Sommerville will never get the picture he is pro criminal punks of Akron.
Because the juvenile and justice system these little crooks roam the streets and prey on the weak.
Our judges seem to be cowards and not give just sentences to these human parasites.
Ellet, Oh
Posted 09:49 PM, 05/02/2009
RIP to you and condolences to your family!
tallmadge, oh
Posted 11:47 PM, 05/02/2009
Are prayers go out to the Hesson's Family.
Canton, OH
Posted 11:52 PM, 05/02/2009
Sad, sad story. . .
Posted 12:28 AM, 05/03/2009
nothing to say
Akron, Oh
Posted 02:28 AM, 05/03/2009
Lie Detector said it for me.
Akron, Oh
Posted 04:58 AM, 05/03/2009
Can't wait for the details on this one.
A good man taken out by another coward moron.
Ada, Oh
Posted 06:28 AM, 05/03/2009
Miscarriage of Justice?? More like abortion of Justice! Hesson's family should hire several lawyers and sue the State, the Federal Court Judge, and Fred Cohen the advisor for the Court who demanded all of these changes made for these darling little angels.
Akron, Oh
Posted 07:53 AM, 05/03/2009
There's a lot things left out of this story but one thing that needs to be said is he should be "tried as an adult!!"
Akron, Oh
Posted 08:37 AM, 05/03/2009
But Lie Detector, these children are from close knit families who stuck together through the bad times, like when the crackhouse down the street got raided and the good times like when another one opened right next door. It's understandable why their parents, and aunts and uncles and cousins would uphold the lives of their children, they are the ones who brought home the bacon and cooked it up in a spoon.
Posted 08:51 AM, 05/03/2009
some day all you "bad" talkers on here are going to pay for being the way you are and i can't wait! PUNKS !
Akron, OH
Posted 09:34 AM, 05/03/2009
My thoughts and prayers to the Hesson family.
The kid(s) that did this, should never ever be allowed back into society.
Posted 09:37 AM, 05/03/2009
Lie Detector: The only problem with police being judge jury and executioner is they might "drop" the wrong jerk.
I agree the corrections officer's death is tragic. As tragic as anyother persons death before his or her time. I also agree this "punk" needs to be taken to task.
I do not agree with police killing people with out a judge and jury saying he or she needs to die. Police and all other humans make mistakes in performing jobs. We have seen several high profile cases in Summit County that show how inaccurate our police, prosecutors and judges are. We need better people working for us. The Clarence Elkins case is a good example of bad police, prosecutor and Judge's actions. That one cost a man 7 years of his life and us $1million plus.
Posted 11:17 AM, 05/03/2009
RIP Officer Hesson, condolences to the family. What a shame to die so young.
Barberton, Oh
Posted 11:44 AM, 05/03/2009
@Davis: Although I agree with you that no man is perfect, you must consider how many Law Enforcment officials we have working for us in this County alone. Sheriff's office-400 , Akron-400 ,Falls-100 ,Stow-45 ,Barberton-40 ,Hudson-35,Tallmadge-25,Twinsburg-30,Macedonia-25,smaller towns-50 ...Considering whenever a Police Officer does wrong it is smeared on the front of every news paper for days, we seldom see (relative to the hole number of people) the numbers that justify your comments. May Mr. Hesson rest in peace and may his family find solace in the future.
AKRON, OH
Posted 12:22 PM, 05/03/2009
MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE HESSON FAMILY. MY HOPES CONTINUE - TODAY'S PERPS WILL BE TOMORROW'S VICTIMS
Akron, OH
Posted 12:45 PM, 05/03/2009
I used to work for DYS @ Indian River. His job is one of the toughest around. My condolences go out to the family
Posted 01:43 PM, 05/03/2009
What is the job retention at DYS? Anyone will tell you it is extremely low. There are basically two camps: those close to retirement and those who are looking for another job. We have bets on the "newbs" to see which ones will still be there after a few months. I've been at DYS for 5 years . . . of the 7 people hired in with me . . . I'm the only one left.
If the taxpayers only realized who much the State pays for training employees who last a few months . . . .
Akrom, Oh
Posted 05:36 PM, 05/03/2009
They should reclassify most of them into adult prisons. They have no regard for life , just whatever they want right then! It's a shame most of them will be free to continue their abysmal behavior sooner or later! I just hope they get caught and sent to an adult prison for as long as possible. I really think very few of them can ever be rehabilitated, so its a waste of money to even try.
rialto, ca
Posted 05:51 PM, 05/03/2009
Where are the child advocates now? Fred Cohen the advisor for the Court who demanded all of these changes should be forced to be a pall bearer. I an disturbed that there is not more outrage! There must be a way for people like the judge that ordered these changes and fred Cohen who advocated for these changes to be fired!
Posted 09:10 PM, 05/03/2009
Prison systems are broken period and there is never going to be any hope of rehabilitation becuase they let the ACLU and ever other clueless group jerk their chains. It's time to start boot camps for all offending juveniles, at the very first offense. They won't have the time nor the energy to act like punks, and it won't be time out and no tv if they are bad, it will be scrubbing toilets and floors.
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 10:39 PM, 05/03/2009
I SAY TRY THEM AND DRY THEM.....THEY DONT DESERVE TO LIVE, THEY NEED LIFE IN PRISON(AT LEAST)...WHAT THEY DID WAS UNCALLED FOR ...NOW BILL'S CHILDREN WILL HAVE TO GROW UP WITHOUT A FATHER, WHY? BECAUSE SOME PUNKS THOUGHT THEY WERE COOL BUT THEY FAIL TO REALIZE THEY WILL NEVER LEAVE THE SYSTEM THEY ALSO NEED TO BE TRIED AS ADULTS......
MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE FAMILY.........WORDS CANT EXPRESS HOW SORRY I AM FOR YOUR LOSS.... BILL WAS A WONDERFUL MAN AND HE REALLY LOVED HIS FAMILY.
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 10:39 PM, 05/03/2009
I MEANT
TRY THEM AND FRY THEM
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 10:40 PM, 05/03/2009
DIDNT MEAN DRY THEM MEANT FRY FRY FRY THEM
akron, oh
Posted 12:47 AM, 05/04/2009
Lie Detector; YOU ARE RUNNING YOUR MOUTH ABOUT SOMMERVILLE..... WHY DONT YOU TAKE HIS JOB AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND STOP BEING A COWARD BEHIND THE KEYBOARD.....LOUD MOUTHED PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEMS AND NOT THE SOLUTION.
Akron, oh
Posted 07:22 AM, 05/04/2009
Lester I have done more to protect the citizens of Akron than you can ever imagine. Sommerville knows who I am and he knows how i feel and he knows I will fight this man any way I can to make Akron a safe community.
Sommerville is a big part of the problem he has never been a solution. He is the biggest raciest I haved ever known
o Lester your mouth opened up one more time before you knew ite all
Akron, , OH
Posted 09:07 AM, 05/04/2009
Put the thugs to work and they will be to tired at the end of the day to cause any problem!
Now if they don't work they don't eat, on my tax dollars.
About five years of that work for food theory and the offenders will decrease, because they certainly are more afraid of work than any other thing in society!!!
akron, oh
Posted 09:18 AM, 05/04/2009
Rest in peace may GOD be with you and your family.
Akron, oh
Posted 10:39 AM, 05/04/2009
A Voice
Good solution but the ACLU states they do not have to work.
However I agree with your theory
Ravenna, OH
Posted 12:04 PM, 05/04/2009
Start building smaller electric chairs.
New Franklin, oh
Posted 12:20 PM, 05/04/2009
I say fry him (if convicted). whats the point of life without parole? your going to die in prison anyway, why waste millions of dollars letting them rot? take there life and save us tax payers money.
We need an express line for the death penalty.
My prayers are with his family and friends.
AKRON, OH
Posted 12:42 PM, 05/04/2009
I may be in a small minority here. But I hope that I am not. I believe that prisoners should be worked ragged to the point of exhaustion. We are memebers of a society wherein the rules are created to protect everyone equally. When individuals commit heinous crime such as murder, rape, etc. they have wronged our society as a whole. Why do we constantly pander to them? Make prison a miserable place to be and maybe just maybe people wont be so willing to commit crimes they know will land them in prison. Maybe if we unified as a society and punished these thugs for their thuggery the rest of us law abiding citizens could be more at ease to do things such as let our kids walk to school without worrying that they might be assaulted or worse.
Akron, Oh
Posted 12:56 PM, 05/04/2009
@ Lie Detector, you hit it right on. RIP Mr. Hesson
Tallmadge, OHIO
Posted 02:31 PM, 05/04/2009
Blame the system that let this happen - so decrepit that it had to be sued in court.
Blame the people you elect for not fixing it - they knew it was broke. Just like school funding.
Be angry that our hard-earned tax dollars go for second rate solutions.
And feel sorry for all the families this touches. R.I.P. Officer Hesson
akron, oh
Posted 02:41 PM, 05/04/2009
All youths in state correctional facilities are being reclassified, and many are being sent to facilities with different levels of supervision.
It is a crying shame, someone had to DIE, inorder for this to happen. WAKE UP
Posted 05:14 PM, 05/04/2009
We are still waiting for the promised autopsy results . . . the Hesson Family deserve to know the truth. We owe it to JCO Hesson.
Parma, Oh
Posted 06:20 PM, 05/04/2009
To date 19,689 police officers have died in the line of duty. Visit www.odmp.org and pay repects to all the fallen heroes.
Posted 06:40 PM, 05/04/2009
Put them all on an island and let 'em fight it out...
Akron, Oh
Posted 10:45 PM, 05/04/2009
so, the story is posted for the second time, but still no details....
Akron, Oh
Posted 06:58 AM, 05/05/2009
Morning news stated the coronor is waiting on toxocology tests to come back; which could take several weeks.
Sounds like a stall to me. Are they hoping this man's family is going to go away and just forget what happened in a few weeks ?
Hang the officials right along with the slug(s) that did this !!
Posted 07:05 AM, 05/05/2009
No more excuses@ The police have a very slanted way of getting the numbers. If a police man dies of a heart attack while at work he died in the line of duty, if he wrecked cruiser while working he died in line of duty and the list goes on. Other jobs they dont count heart attacks as a work place death.
Police deaths is lower than you and me driving to work. I would like to see ALL WORK PLACE DEATHS to get the ink that this one trade gets. Work place deaths are under reported and not enough effort is put forth to stop them. A worker should go home minus normal wear and tear everyday and night. Let us work to have ALL workers go home every nite.
Parma, Oh
Posted 07:32 AM, 05/05/2009
Do other jobs include wrestling with a suspect and getting a heart attack, or driving a vehicle 8 hours a day and getting killed in car pursuits or laying down spike strips. Another person trying to undermine the dangers of being a police officer. POLICE DEATHS IS LOWER THAN YOU AND ME DRIVING TO WORK. WHAT? DO ALL WORK PLACE DEATHS INCLUDE the ones that get killed by being shot, assaulted, vehicle assault, stabbed, drowning, fire, aircraft crashes, responding to calls, training accidents with firearms.. etc...IS THAT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR...MY GOD...OUR SOCIETY HAS AN OBSESSION WITH HATING ITS POLICE AND EMBRASSING LAWLESSNESS...
akron, oh
Posted 06:40 PM, 05/05/2009
The answer to the Youth Detention 'problem' is to get the kids BEFORE they do the crime. That means, wake up CSB. Yep. I place the problem at their doorstep. Ask preschool teachers, and elementary teachers. They all have stories of little Johnny. The kid that mom is proud of, mom describes him as 'a bad boy' with a smile. Or the kid that is throwing chairs in preschool, and is disrespectful to teachers. Or the kid the teachers constantly refer to Child Guidance for assistance with behavior. Eventually, these kids get too old for services, or refuse to go. And then they wind up in Juvi. I would say, do a study on how these kids in prison behaved in Kindergarten. I am sure most would be listed as problem kids. Get tough on these unruly kids early, or pay the price later.
Naples, Florida
Posted 07:05 AM, 05/06/2009
Bring back the draft.
Posted 05:55 PM, 05/08/2009
Excellent story on Hesson's death in the Ironton Tribune. At last someone has the testes to print an accurate account of what DYS staff deal with each day. God bless you Billy Bruce! You are one of my heroes!
http://irontontribune.com:80/news/2009/may/06/youth-prison-system-dys-functional/
