National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

Officer Rank: Sheriff

Memorial Panel: 36-W: 22

Department: Scioto County, Ohio, S.O.

End of Watch: May 12, 1958

Cause: SHOT

Age: 53

Years of Service: 22

Description: Sheriff Justice was participating in an activity in which select children would replace government officials for a day. Sheriff Justice showed the children his weapon and the gun collection in the sheriff's department. All weapons were unloaded at this time. When Sheriff Justice was ready to take the children through the jail he re-loaded his weapon and placed it on his desk as he reached for the jail keys. One of the children unaware that Sheriff Justice's weapon was loaded picked up the gun to admire it. The gun discharged and struck Sheriff Justice in the lower right portion of his back traveling upward and exited under his left arm. Sheriff Justice was hospitalized and underwent several operations for the next three months. He died three months later from liver and kidney failure, a direct result of the injury he sustained in the accidental shooting.