On Saturday, April 5, 2025, two Corrections Officers were attacked by an inmate facing murder charges in Lawrence County.

Inmate Earl Eugene Bates Jr was arrested and charged with murder in April 2022 by Lawrence County Authorities. The charges stem from the stabbing death of a Chattanooga man at a residence in Hillsboro, Alabama. At the time of his arrest, Bates was transferred to the Morgan County Jail due to a history of violence with Lawrence County Corrections Officers.

On April 5, 2025, Bates refused to return to his cell. Corrections Officers responded, at which time Bates attacked two of them with a "shank" (a handcrafted, sharpened instrument), striking both in the face and neck. Correction Officers deployed pepper spray and took Bates into custody.

Deputies and Investigators responded to the scene. The officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were evaluated at Decatur Morgan ER. Both have returned to work.

Bates was transported to and rehoused in the Lawrence County Jail. Morgan County Sheriff Investigators will obtain warrants for 13A-6-21 Assault 2nd Degree. 

"Our Corrections Officers perform a job that most will never see and even fewer would be willing to do. I am thankful that they continue to show up and maintain the care, custody, and control of our 580 inmates. While injured and under attack, they relied on their training and quickly subdued a violent individual. Thankfully, they are both going to be ok." Sheriff Ron Puckett

Arrests are public information. Any indication of an individual's arrest does not imply they have been convicted of a crime. All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.