In Memoriam: Jack Budd
Today is the 31st anniversary of Officer Jack Budd’s murder at the former State Prison of Southern Michigan in Jackson.
An inmate, armed with a weapon, came out of a shower area and stabbed Budd. His killer, James Miller, was sentenced to 80-120 years in prison. He is also serving two life sentences.
Josephine McCallum was murdered at the same prison on March 24, 1987. Budd’s and McCallum’s deaths led to sweeping changes within the MDOC. Advanced training, increased staffing, revised inmate discipline, and the breakup of the Jackson Central Complex into several smaller prisons were among the changes. Some of those reforms have been scaled back in recent years due to budget cuts.
Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. This year, the legislature passed a bill that will designate Interstate 94 between exits 139 and 141 in Jackson as the “Corrections Officers Jack Budd and Josephine McCallum Memorial Highway.”
Budd, McCallum and our other fallen officers were also honored at MCO’s Fallen Officers Memorial Dedication in 2017.
Please take a moment to remember Budd and our other fallen officers as you go about your day.