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The proposal adds to growing calls from elected officials for greater transparency and independent oversight of deaths at the South Bay House of Correction.
A Boston city councilor is renewing his call for the correctional officers involved in the in-custody death of a man being held at the South Bay House of Correction to be placed on administrative leave.
Councilor Miniard Culpepper sent a letter Wednesday to the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department following the state medical examiner’s recent ruling that the death of Shacoby Kenny, 32, of Springfield, was a homicide.
Kenny died at a hospital on Dec. 8, 2025, one day after a confrontation inside the Suffolk County jail. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined he died from a condition caused when the brain does not receive enough blood and oxygen.
“Now that we see his death was the result of homicide, I think it places even more of a concern by all of us on the role of the officers involved in this homicide,” Culpepper told Boston.com. “The correctional officers should be placed on administrative leave so that a thorough and fair investigation can take place.”
The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Culpepper plans new resolution, cites witness concerns
Culpepper said he intends to introduce a resolution during the Aug. 5 City Council meeting calling for the officers to be placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues.
He previously introduced a similar resolution calling for the “temporary suspension” of the correctional staff involved in Kenny’s death. The measure failed on a 6-yea vote April 29.
During that same meeting, Culpepper, along with Councilors Julia Mejia and Ed Flynn, introduced a separate resolution calling for an independent investigation into Kenny’s death. The measure passed, urging the sheriff’s department and attorney general’s office to appoint an independent investigator to conduct a full review of the incident.
Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office continues to investigate Kenny’s death and, as of Thursday, has not yet announced whether anyone will face criminal charges.
“My prayers are with Shacoby Kenny’s family and loved ones as they continue to grieve,” Campbell said in a statement. “My office is leading an active criminal investigation into Mr. Kenny’s death, and out of respect for that process, I cannot comment further at this time.”
In his letter, Culpepper requested a meeting with Sheriff Mark Lawhorne and General Counsel Melissa Garand ahead of a September hearing on in-custody deaths at the Suffolk County House of Correction — another resolution he offered April 29.
Culpepper also wrote that placing the officers on administrative leave would help protect the integrity of the investigation and encourage witnesses to come forward.
“These individuals continue to live and interact within an institution in which the officers implicated in Mr. Kenny’s death remain employed,” the letter states. “This creates a potential culture of intimidation for witnesses who may possess information relevant to the ongoing investigation and may reasonably fear retaliation or adverse treatment for coming forward.”
Culpepper emphasized that the medical examiner’s homicide ruling makes this proposal different from the one the council rejected in April.
“I hope that they look at the loss of life as a result of a homicide and reassess their position,” he said of the City Council.
Officials seek accountability and transparency
Other elected officials also called for greater transparency following the homicide ruling.
State Sen. Liz Miranda said the ruling underscores the need for independent correctional oversight.
“We cannot continue asking institutions to investigate themselves and expect the public to have confidence in the outcome,” Miranda wrote on Instagram.
Miranda added that “one investigation alone is not enough” and called for an oversight system with the authority to examine deaths, serious injuries, and patterns of misconduct in correctional facilities.
“This ruling should force all of us to ask difficult questions about accountability in our correctional system,” Miranda wrote. “Every person who enters the custody of the Commonwealth remains a human being. They do not lose their dignity, humanity, or constitutional rights simply because they are incarcerated.”
Mejia also called for transparency and accountability, saying Kenny’s family deserves answers and that deaths in custody should receive an “immediate, thorough, and impartial investigation.”
“We will continue to push for full accountability and systemic reforms that ensure no one has to endure this harm in the first place,” Mejia wrote on social media. “Justice delayed is justice denied, and we can no longer allow institutional failures to stand in the way of accountability.”
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