Senior Officer Specialist Louis Pepe

Louis Pepe

Senior Officer Specialist Louis Pepe succumbed to injuries he received when he was attacked by an inmate at the Metropolitan Correctional Center at 150 Park Row, Lower Manhattan, New York City, New York, on November 1, 2000.

The inmate was awaiting trial for two terrorist bombings of the United States Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. After the inmate met with his lawyer, Officer Pepe escorted the inmate back to his cell. The inmate's cellmate threw hot sauce in his eyes, trying to blind him. Then, the inmate used a comb and brush, which were converted and shaved into shivs, to stab Officer Pepe in the left eye. Both inmates proceeded to beat and pummel him for over an hour in their cell, attempting to steal his keys and escape. Despite being brutally attacked, Officer Pepe refused to give up his keys.

The inmate, who was Usama Bin Laden's aide, had intended to use the keys to free himself and his cellmate. He had written a hostage demand note planning to take additional hostages in his effort to escape, release additional prisoners, and attack his assigned attorney so he could be appointed a new attorney. He was initially sentenced to only 32 years in prison, but in 2010, the inmate was sentenced to life in prison for his brutal attack on Officer Pepe.

Officer Pepe was rehabilitated in the hospital for over two and a half years. He lost his left eye, experienced partial blindness in his right eye, and suffered brain damage and partial paralysis, which confined him to a wheelchair and required constant health assistance.

Officer Pepe had served with the United States Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons for 15 years when he was attacked. He was formally retired in 2014. His whole family preceded him in death.